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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28094526">The Adventures Of Elise and Harold</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisneyBroadway123/pseuds/DisneyBroadway123'>DisneyBroadway123</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Multi, cartoon, my first original story</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:34:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>70,456</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28094526</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisneyBroadway123/pseuds/DisneyBroadway123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Elise Elderheart is a high schooler with aspergers who is an incredible artist. When she was in elementary school there was a class competition to draw something that they loved. While most children were drawing cartoon characters that they admired she was drawing a dragon using his fire to light a stovetop for tea. She named him Harold. While walking home one day from school she comes across a sketchbook in the trash. She takes it home with her. Late that night she draws Harold and her childhood imaginary friend comes to life. Join Elise, Harold, the bunny that is cute as a button and can do magic named Bernie and the penguin with a grumpy exterior but a soft and sweet interior named Peyton as they help Elise get through high school and learn about what an incredible person she really is.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Female Character/Original Male Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Pilot, my childhood friend comes to life?!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1"><em>My name is Elise Elderheart. For most of my life I have been a better artist than my peers. The first time somebody asked us to draw our favorite thing back in kindergarten I saw around me all the other kids doing badly drawn versions of their favorite cartoon characters. When we had to demonstrate what we had drawn in front of the class I got up there and showed my drawing, a fire breathing dragon heating a tea kettle with his fire breath. I gave that dragon the name Harold. At the time I thought I was being clever and subverting people’s expectations of what a dragon should look like and or do. Of course I got laughed at because it seemed ridiculous to a lot of people. A dragon drinking tea? Dragons are supposed to use their fire to burn their enemies to the ground not make tea. But I didn’t care if people mocked me for my art. I loved Harold and the design that I came up with for him. From that day forward I found that I didn’t really need to have other “normal” people like me. The normal people laughed at me and made fun of the things that at that age I thought were awesome. My parents always encouraged my artwork buying me sketchbook after sketchbook that I filled with drawings of my dragon buddy doing all sorts of calming things like meditating, yoga or drinking his tea. Drawing him calmed me down because I was often stressed. My mom took me to a doctor when I was seven after I had my first ever sensory overload at school. Somebody had gotten into my sketchbook and ripped it apart right in front of me trashing every dragon and at the end of it telling me you know dragons aren’t real right. I came back from that doctor with reason why I often felt so out of place. I had a social disease called aspergers that caused my brain to function just that little bit differently from everybody else’s. The doctor told me that I was childlike but that it wasn’t a bad thing. I would have a harder time making friends but once I did those friends would be there for me for a lifetime. Having that diagnosis helped me out so much in elementary school because now I had a reason for my nature. Oh I was too shy when giving a presentation? Sorry I have aspergers. I was drawing while you were giving that important lecture? I could still hear what you were saying and comprehend it ma’am I have aspergers and need to be stemming with my hands. Elementary school was all together not too bad. I didn’t make many friends that stuck around but it was alright. I had Harold still and I drew him whenever I felt lonely or like I couldn’t do something. My parents I think started to get a little bit concerned about my lack of friends but they never said anything to me. They just supported me in any way that they could. I had it better than most of the people on the spectrum with parents I figured. They had a baby boy and girl, a set of twins when I was nine. My little sister Nicola and my little brother Nathaniel became the light of my life. They brought me all the joy in the world and I loved being an older sibling. It was something that I never thought that I would be good at. I was bad with people my own age wouldn’t I be just as bad at being a big sister? But I was wrong. Nic and Nat were every bit as into fantasy as I was and always loved to draw with me. Even in middle school I still drew Harold all the time coming up with different situations where he would help me. I started using his own techniques that I drew him in to help calm me down. Things like meditation, yoga and loving tea started to become things that I did in real life. My sister joined me in most of these things but she was still a little bit too young to have a taste for tea. Over the years my art got even better than I could have ever imagined. By the time that I was in high school I had created a handful of other original animal characters. My favorite one I came up with was a penguin who had the tendency to get agitated very easily but in reality was a big old softie that I named Peyton. I was in high school now and slowly getting a bit more stressed out but working through the emotions that I had. I started drawing Harold even more and one day when I was walking home alone from school I found something that would change everything…</em> I looked behind me in the trashcan seeing a sketchbook at the top of it. </p><p class="p1">“That’s really weird, the pages don’t look torn out or tattered. Why would anybody throw this away?” I wondered aloud going over to it and braving myself to take the sketchbook out of the trashcan. I flipped through it seeing that nobody had used it at all. </p><p class="p1">“That’s even stranger the papers here are perfectly capable of being put to good use. I might as well take it with me. I ran out of pages earlier today anyways.” I put the surprisingly heavy sketchbook into my backpack and hummed my way back home. I saw my younger siblings bikes on the bike rack in the garage and smiled softly. </p><p class="p1">“I’m back!!” I greeted toeing off my sneakers and putting them in the spot where my dad liked to have them. </p><p class="p1">“Welcome back sis!! How was your day?” Nicola asked me who was sitting in front of the television with a bowl of freshly cut berries. </p><p class="p1">“It was decent not good not bad. How about you? Where’s your brother?” I asked her sitting down next to her on the couch. </p><p class="p1">“Mine was good!! We had a drawing contest in our class today, wanna see what I drew?” I nodded my head and she took out a picture that made me honestly tear up. It was a family portrait but above me she had drawn Harold. </p><p class="p1">“I know that it’s not as good as you draw him but I’ll work on him!!” She promised and I just shook my head. </p><p class="p1">“No sweetie he looks amazing!! You did a really great job on him, I’m proud of you.” I doted ruffling her hair and taking out my own homework for the evening.</p><p class="p1">“Did I really? Nat is outside on the trampoline with dad.” I nodded my head with a small smile at my little sister as I snagged a strawberry from her bowl. </p><p class="p1">“Of course!! I think that the artist genes must run through the family since you have them as well. I’ll go and spend time with him in a bit. I just need a second to myself.” I sighed a little bit. There had been a lot of near sensory overloads since I had forgotten my noise canceling headphones in my room. My parents didn’t like me bringing them to school but it was the only way that I could get through the day. Things were just too loud around me and I needed something to combat that.</p><p class="p1">“Lots of people today sissy?” I nodded my head leaning it back against the soft couch taking some deep breaths to stop myself from just crying. I had a group project that was announced today. We would be grouping up tomorrow. Those were never my favorites because it meant that I had to work with others who wouldn’t understand my ideas. </p><p class="p1">“I have a group project to start tomorrow. I’ll need my over the ear headphones I forgot them on accident again. As much as I want to draw with you I have homework that needs to get done before that.” I kissed her forehead snagging another berry from her bowl. I went up the stairs to my bedroom and sighed a little bit. Seeing all the drawings on the walls instantly comforted me. Most of them were of Harold or Peyton and something about them just calmed me down. I sat down at my desk and ran a hand through my hair. </p><p class="p1">“What a day, what a day…” I muttered getting out my biology textbook. I drew Harold in the margin as I studied and wrote notes for the next days class. This was by far my hardest class I had to spend a lot of time on it in order to properly understand what was going on.</p><p class="p1">“Hey there kiddo, how was your day today? Not very good?” My mom came into my bedroom and carefully sat down on my bed. </p><p class="p1">“Could have been a lot better. I forgot my headphones when I left this morning and it was too late to turn back and come and get them.” My mom smiled a bit understanding of my situation as she handed me my stuffed dragon. She had gotten it for me for my fifth birthday taking my original drawing of Harold and getting it professionally made for me. </p><p class="p1">“I’m sorry about that sweetie. I know that you like to have silence at school especially in the halls and during breaks. I’ll put them in your backpack so you don’t forget them tomorrow. Just don’t wear them on your way home. I don’t need you being ran over by a car.” I smiled softly at my mom rolling my eyes a little bit. </p><p class="p1">“I don’t wear them on the way home mom. I only wear them in the halls at school and during lunch hour.” She looked at me a little bit sad and I could tell that she wanted to ask me if I had made any friends like she did everyday but she didn’t. </p><p class="p1">“Honey, I know that school is hard for you. And I just want you to know how proud I am of you that you’ve been getting such great grades. But grades aren’t everything. You spend all your time up here in your room. It’s like I never see you anymore except for family dinners. And when I do you barely say anything. Is something the matter Elise? Are people picking on you?” I sighed feeling tears prickle at the corners of my eyes and I shook my head.</p><p class="p1">“No more than usual mom. It’s just hard for me. I don’t know why it is but that’s the way that I am. I don’t know how to talk to people mom. They don’t make any sense to me at all. They only talk about what’s hot and new. Me, I’m just the dragon girl. Nobody pays any attention to the girl who’s always drawing in her sketchbook or taking notes during class.” I admitted and she just smiled sadly at me. She opened her arms for a hug which I gratefully took. </p><p class="p1">“I know it’s hard for you Elise and I’m truly proud of you for trying. I see you trying to make friends it just takes some practice. I just want you to be happy. I know that drawing your characters make you happy but there is more to life than being cooped up in your room all day.” She reminded me and I nodded my head with a small smile hugging my stuffed dragon a bit tighter just needing that encouragement. </p><p class="p1">“I’ll work on it mom, just like I worked on science. I’ll get better at communicating with my classmates and my peers I promise. I’ll even join the drama club. Just give me a bit more time.” I promised her and I could see that she was happy with that response. </p><p class="p1">“You don’t have to join the drama club if you want to sweet pea. I just think that you would fit right in with those other children because you love theater so much. I’m sorry if I pushed too hard too fast. Can you please forgive me?” I nodded my head with a small smile as she kissed my forehead closing my door on her way out. I went back to my desk pulling out my chair and sighed a little bit. I looked over at one of my sketches on the wall, a bunny that I created named Bernie. Last year for my younger siblings birthday we had a magician come. It gave me the idea of what if the bunny did the parlor tricks that the magician usually did. I gave him the name of Bernie. It was my little sister’s favorite of my characters. I reminded myself for the future that I would have to teach her how to draw him. I finished my biology homework sighing a little bit. Time for art class homework where I had finish my rough still life picture something that I had been dreading. Since it was still life I had to draw the same bowl of fruit that everybody else had to. But it was turning out surprisingly really good. Probably my best non-mythical thing that I had drawn in a really long time. I finished my bunch of grapes that were dangling over the edge and dusted the graphite off of my hand. </p><p class="p1">“Last thing that I need to do of the day…” I told myself giving that little bit of encouragement that I would need before I got out my laptop and finished writing my history paper that was due at the end of the week about medieval times. It was actually a really fascinating subject matter and I put a lot of hard work and effort into it. Today was only Tuesday but it still felt nice to not have to worry about it. I was also thankful that this teacher never made us do class presentations for our papers. I wrapped up my conclusion bringing everything back gratefully closing my computer. I looked outside to see that my brother was still playing outside with my dad. I ran down my stairs and outside seeing them on the trampoline. It was times like this when I was grateful that my parents both worked from home so that they could always be there when one of us needed them. </p><p class="p1">“Hey sissy!!” My brother called to me opening the tent so that I could slink inside of it. I bounced on the ground of it and I smiled softly. </p><p class="p1">“Hey there sweet girl, how was your day? Are you doing alright on your social meter?” I shrugged because actually it wasn’t that bad of a day once I had some quiet time to myself.</p><p class="p1">“I’ve seen a lot worse dad let’s say it like that. I’m just glad to be home now I forgot my headphones again today in my rush to get to school on time. Tomorrow will be better I got all my homework done.” I told my dad and he just ruffled my chestnut hair with a small smile on his face. </p><p class="p1">“That’s good Elise, I’m proud of you not that I have any reason at all to be worried. I just wanted to make sure that you were doing alright. Do you want to bounce or talk?” He asked me and I smiled softly getting up off the trampoline so that I could start bouncing.</p><p class="p1">“Bouncing!!” I encouraged and I started to bounce even high with the help of my dad and my brother. </p><p class="p1">“How was your day Nat?” I asked him and he nodded his head doing a small flip in the air before landing it.</p><p class="p1">“It was pretty good!! Me and Nic had an art contest that she won of course. Did she show you what she drew? It was pretty awesome.” My little brother explained to me and I couldn’t help but smile softly as I felt the wind blow through the trees. </p><p class="p1">“She did show me actually it was beautiful and I loved it!! She’s getting a lot better at drawing Harold I think.” I encouraged him and my brother just smiled a little bit at me jumping next to me. </p><p class="p1">“I thinks so too, obviously she put a lot of hard work into it. Are you going to help me with my science project next week?” I nodded my head with a small smile on my face. Even though I wasn’t the best at biology I loved electronics and working with them. I loved the feeling of getting my hands on something and actually shaping it the way that I wanted it to be. </p><p class="p1">“Of course I’m still going to help you!! I always help you with your science projects don’t I?” He nodded his head and my dad just smiled at the two of us interacting off of one another. </p><p class="p1">“I can’t wait to see what you two little geniuses come up with. I know that whatever it is, it will be great. Did you finish your homework?” I nodded my head as my hair blew through both the wind and the height. </p><p class="p1">“I did dad, I always do before I come outside to play with either of you. That was the rule when we got this thing wasn’t it?” My dad laughed at me before he started slowing down and stopped bouncing eventually. </p><p class="p1">“I better go and check in with work. You kids good to be out here on your own?” I nodded my head with a bright smile on my face starting to bounce with just my little brother.</p><p class="p1">“Do you think you’ll ever make a friend sissy?” My brother asked me and I stopped for a second sighing. </p><p class="p1">“To be honest with you I don’t really know if I will or not. I’m sorry that I’m so antisocial. It’s not that I mean to be but I try my best and and whenever I try to make a friend… just no words come out.” I protested and my brother just smiled his toothy smile at me giving me a thumbs up. </p><p class="p1">“I know that you can do it Eli!! You can do anything you wanna do, if you want to make a friend then one will come to you. I just have a feeling.” My brother bounced a little bit higher causing me to jump with him and I looked up at the sky wiling everything within me not to start crying.</p><p class="p1">“Maybe tomorrow I’ll make a friend or at least try to little bro. What about you? How’s Sabrina?” I smiled softly and my brother gave me a thumbs up with a bright smile. He had met this tomboy girl in preschool named Sabrina who I just knew would be absolutely adorable paired with him.</p><p class="p1">“She’s good!! She’s my desk neighbor again, we moved seats today and the teacher took pity on us and put our chairs back together.” I listened as he talked about his new seating arrangement and how much he had missed sitting next to his best friend.</p><p class="p1">“That’s nice!! I half expected her to be over here once I got home. Did she have a family thing?” Usually whenever I came home Brina was playing with Nic in our backyard jumping on our trampoline or playing video games with him in the twins’s playroom in the basement.</p><p class="p1">“She had to go straight home after school today, her dad came and picked her up. Said something about a birthday party planning for her brother.” I smiled softly at the thought of Mr. Sanchez. He was a really great single father for his best friend and it made me really happy.</p><p class="p1">“That’s right her brother’s first birthday is coming up she must be really excited about that!!” My brother nodded his head with a bright smile on his face.</p><p class="p1">“I think it’s going to be themed to his favorite cartoon if you wanted to come with me.” I shrugged my shoulders since I would have to think about it. If I did go I could get free candy if they had a piñata but I was too old to be going to kids parties. I had always wanted one of my very own but I never had friends so I was stuck with family parties. </p><p class="p1">“I think you best go by yourself little man. I’m a bit old to be tagging along to children’s parties…” I trailed off and my brother looked up at me his sea green eyes pleading with me.</p><p class="p1">“But you love birthday parties!! You get to have free cake because you always come with me.” His lower lip wobbled and I just knew that he was probably about to start crying. I didn’t want that to happen is I just sighed a little bit. </p><p class="p1">“I’ll see if my schedule is cleared the day of the party. It’s just for once I wish I could have a birthday party. It probably sounds really selfish when I say it like that sorry…” I apologized and my brother just shook his hair at me. </p><p class="p1">“Don’t apologize sissy I guess I never really thought about it that way. Have you never had a non family orientated birthday party?” I shook my head looking down at my socks with a sad smile on my face. </p><p class="p1">“Kinda need friends for that and I’ve never had any. It’s not that I haven’t tried to invite any I did it’s just that they never showed up. Invited my entire class one year when I was a bit older than you and nobody came. It was a dragon themed birthday party. Mom and dad felt awful.” I fixed my hair a little bit awkwardly. It wasn’t my favorite childhood memory to focus on for too long and I hated that day. Even if my parents had tried to make it better by taking me to the science museum the day afterward. On Monday when I went back to school I asked everyone why they hadn’t came. They told me it was because I was a weirdo and they didn’t want to be caught dead at my party for something as stupid as dragons.</p><p class="p1">“Why didn’t they come? Did they get sick?” I shook my head a slightly cynical laugh leaving me before shaking my head. </p><p class="p1">“They didn’t want to come because I was the class weirdo. Nobody ever really wanted to be friends with me. It’s what made me more hesitant to make more friends. Instead I just focused on the ones up here. It’s alright though two years after that you came along and things got better for me. I was able to focus that energy to raise you and Nic as best I could.” My brother leaned against my side a little bit comforting me. </p><p class="p1">“You should also take some time for yourself sissy. I think that you of all people deserve it with how hard you work to get good grades in school. Who knows maybe this year will be good for you!!” He encouraged and I just ruffled his hair a little bit lovingly the emotional moment passed thankfully. I jumped a little bit more before I saw my mom peak her head out the porch door. </p><p class="p1">“My loves, it’s time for dinner!!” I hoped down the stairs and grabbed my sneakers tying them and racing my brother up the back porch stairs as he beat me at the last minute doing an adorable victory dance.</p><p class="p1">“I beat you sissy!!” He cheered and I just rolled my eyes at him gently pushing him inside the house. </p><p class="p1">“Yeah, yeah I’ll beat you tomorrow you little jerk.” I threatened half heartedly as I went in after him tying my hair back again so that my hair wouldn’t get into my dinner. </p><p class="p1">“What’s for dinner?” Nicola asked from the couch turning off the television and I smiled softly at her as she hugged my leg.</p><p class="p1">“It’s pizza night!! It just got here.” I cheered for pizza getting myself and my younger siblings a plate. I opened the fridge getting some of the lemonade that I bought with my dad earlier on in the week. </p><p class="p1">“Me too!!” Nicola cheered and I looked at her with a quirked up eyebrow until she caught herself and added a please after that. I nodded my head encouragingly filling her cup with a bit of water before carefully carrying it to our dining room table. </p><p class="p1">“Do you move seats tomorrow in English class hun? How do you feel about that?” I stiffened a bit before my slice could make it’s way up to my mouth. </p><p class="p1">“A bit nervous and not really wanting to. I liked my last desk buddy fine he wasn’t the talkative type and I was fine with that.” I shrugged and my sister pulled up a chair struggling to sit up next to me until I helped her. </p><p class="p1">“Sweetheart it will be alright just be yourself. Maybe you’ll make a friend or something then you will feel better.” My dad encouraged and I just silently ate my pizza. I sighed a little bit going up to my room and flopping onto my bed. </p><p class="p1">“It’s not like I don’t want friends… I do it’s just that they don’t understand. I don’t know how to make friends…” I protested and grabbed my stuffed cinnamon roll. I hugged her tightly and started to calm down from all the stress that had happened to me that day. </p><p class="p1">“I just need to calm down. High school is only four years of my life despite how awful it is. I can get through it not like I haven’t gotten through elementary and middle school alone too.” I reminded myself getting out my phone and turning on my calming music that would make me feel a bit better. I picked up my coloring book and I started shading in the different colors for my dragon that I loved. </p><p class="p1">“I know I’m lonely it’s not like I don’t want to have friends. If I only had one friend I would treasure them forever.” I felt a teardrop fall onto my paper that was in front of me and I hadn’t even realized that I was crying. I quickly dried my eyes so that nobody would worry about me because my siblings still hadn’t learned how to knock. </p><p class="p1">“Come on woman pull yourself together you can’t be crying…” I trailed off and dried my eyes with a small frown on my face. I stuck my tongue out as I colored in the dragons flame. </p><p class="p1">“Sissy, we’re going to bed!!” My brother told me and I looked at the clock seeing that it was a lot later than I had thought. </p><p class="p1">“Night Nic, night Nat. You kiddos sleep well okay? I’ll see you tomorrow.” My brother smiled at me before closing my door noticing that I would have rather been left alone. When I heard the house go quiet I got out to my new sketchbook and turned to the first page. It was all shimmery and shiny but I didn’t think that much of it at the time. I got out my pencil and just started drawing my favorite imaginary friend. Drawing Harold always calmed me down. He comforted me on my worst days when I felt alone in the world. I drew his long beard and sketched his claws that were dexterous enough for him to do his favorite hobby knitting and braiding. As I drew the tail the book started to glow and I drew an intake of breath. The room around me seemed to be glowing and I was surprised that my parents bedroom down he hall hadn’t seen it. Before my eyes I saw first the tail, then the lanky and skinny body and then lastly the head of my imaginary friend. </p><p class="p1">“Sup sunshine?” He asked me and I blinked a little bit at the dragon in front of me before tears started to fill my eyes. He talked just like how I had always imagined that he had. With a sort of lazy beach bum like attitude but with a heartfelt tone that always comforted me when I was down. </p><p class="p1">“But you’re not real-you’re just a drawing!! A drawing that I just made-“ I protested shaking my head and slapping my cheeks repeatedly. </p><p class="p1">“Hey, hey, hey stop doing that okay? Don’t hurt yourself on purpose Elise. I don’t exactly know what is going on here either. When did you get that sketchbook is it new?” He asked me and I nodded my head with a small confused expression. </p><p class="p1">“Yes? I found it in the trashcan and thought that I would take it home and put it to good use since nobody else seemed to want it. Why would that matter?” My dragon best friend hummed in thought playing with the end of his hair.</p><p class="p1">“Hmm I think that might have something to do with it. I was always alive in your head, you made me that way. But I haven’t been able to take a physical form until now when you offered me a way into this world through your sketchbook.” He explained to me and I pulled at the ends of my hair. </p><p class="p1">“Is that how you knew my name?” Harold nodded spinning his way around my attic bedroom and winding his way through everything.</p><p class="p1">“Well of course I know your name!! You made me real sunshine. Without you I would be nothingand I most certainly wouldn’t be here right now. Do you want me to braid that for you? We can talk while I do?” I nodded my head a little bit since that did sound really relaxing. As big of a pain as it was to have to deal with I did like having it played with. </p><p class="p1">“The first memory I have of you was when you were five and you drew me making a pot of tea with my fire…” I smiled softly as he twisted a little bit of my hair with his claws and I melted into the warmth and affection. </p><p class="p1">“That was for a school competition we had a little playful game that we did that day. Our teacher wanted to see us draw something freehand. I didn’t really think much of it at the time. I’ve always loved dragons they were my favorite animal. Even though I heard so many people tell me that I can’t say that because dragons aren’t real.” I rolled my eyes and clicked my tongue at the notion of some people forgetting that it didn’t matter that dragons weren’t technically real. Maybe at some point in time they were and I liked to think that there was no limit to your imagination. </p><p class="p1">“Some kids can be awful. I know that they were really cruel to you especially and I’m sorry that I couldn’t do more to protect you” I smiled softly up at the kindly dragon that had always been there for me figuratively whenever I needed him. </p><p class="p1">“It was fine, I mean I had you. Drawing you always calmed me down when I had a bad day. I still can’t believe that you are actually here next to me. I mean I always hoped that one day you would be real but never thought that it would actually come true.” I felt happy tears come to my eyes at the fact that my dreams had actually came true. There right in front of me was Harold. My best friend that I could have ever asked for. The one that calmed me down from every sensory overload by just drawing him.</p><p class="p1">“Whenever you needed me I was always there for you sunshine. It just took me some time to get to you since up until five minutes ago I was a drawing. Can I see that sketchbook?” I nodded my head giving it to him and he flipped through the book.</p><p class="p1">“Hmm this is very odd indeed but I’m not really complaining. I get to finally interact with the young woman who gave me life!! Hey what are these?” He asked me looking around my bedroom seeing the other sketches that I had made. </p><p class="p1">“Those are my other friends that I have made over the years. I’ll bring them to life later if you want me to. That one you’re looking at is a bunny that can do magic mostly slight of hand mostly card tricks and things like that.” I explained to him and he blew out a low whistle in surprise. </p><p class="p1">“That’s really amazing sunshine, I can’t believe that you were able to come up with something like that!!” He praised and I melted into the warmth and affection that he was giving to me. I realized a long time ago that I was really touch starved.</p><p class="p1">“I just drew what I wanted to and that made me so happy. I love getting to be able to use my creativity in that way. I don’t think that I could make a career out of it or anything like that but I just love getting to sketch and have fun. I really want to do something with engineering it’s something so beautiful and fun for me.” Harold gently pulled my hair back into the braid and I curled my legs a little bit tighter. </p><p class="p1">“Engineering is something that you’re really passionate about. I think that would be a brilliant career for you!! You’re already amazing at lots of things.” I sighed a little bit feeling tears come to my eyes. </p><p class="p1">“Why are you crying? Does this hurt? I can be more gentle if it does hurt?” I shook my head animatedly because no it didn’t hurt but what he had just hit a little bit too close to home. </p><p class="p1">“No it doesn’t hurt. It’s just you’re the first person that I’ve told about my wanting to be an engineer officially. I’ve always been really good at putting things together but I haven’t gotten around to telling my parents. They’ve always been super passionate about me doing art. They love my drawings and are always telling me that I should go the extra mile and pursue it. But my art isn’t even that good. I’m good at drawing creatures but not so much realism or people and I just don’t have the gumption for that kind of thing. I guess I’m just not super confident in my abilities…” I trailed off and I felt Harold leave a flower in my braid that was in his mane into my hair. </p><p class="p1">“And that’s okay that you aren’t overly confident in fact it’s expected that you are that way. I think that you’re amazing at a lot of things but we can work on that together what do you say?” I nodded my head with a small smile because working on my self confidence with somebody that I loved more than anything in the entire world sounded like a dream. I had always wanted to be more confident than I was.</p><p class="p1">“I think that sounds like one of the best ideas I’ve probably ever heard in my entire life…” I heard his soft chuckle that resonated through his entire body. </p><p class="p1">“That’s what I love to hear!! Do you remember the quote that you gave to me when you were younger?” I nodded my head because it was something that I still had trouble saying to myself on my worst days. </p><p class="p1">“Do you think that saying it together would be more helpful?” I nodded my head with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“I think that it’ll help me a lot more…” I trailed off and he turned to face me tying the hair tie around the braid taking my hands in his claws.</p><p class="p1">“Alright one… two… three… deep breath, I LOVE MY LIFE!!” I proclaimed with my dragon best friend instantly feeling this sense of relief come over me. </p><p class="p1">“Did that feel better sunshine?” I nodded my head doing something that I had wanted to do since I created the friendly dragon, give him a hug. He wrapped his wings protectively around me. </p><p class="p1">“It’s alright, shush I’m here now. You’re going to be okay Elise I just know it. Your first friend is just around the corner and I’m going to help you make them with the help of the rest of these little critters.” I laughed a little bit thinking about how Peyton would get along with Bernie. That would definitely be a sight to see since I had modeled them after my own parents personalities.</p><p class="p1">“I really hope that I can make a friend. I know that I’ve always wanted one. Can you umm can you get my sketchbook for me?” He flew over to the sketchbook and I flipped to a new clean page as I looked at Bernie. </p><p class="p1">“Who are you going to draw first?” He asked me leaning over my shoulder and I showed him Bernie. </p><p class="p1">“I think I will draw Bernie first. I was inspired to make him through my younger sibling’s birthday party a few years back.” I told him a little bit about Bernie’s origin story as I sketched his calico ear and gave him his wand before moving onto his spotted body. </p><p class="p1">“You have a bunch of these characters around you they’re all so well designed. I love them all so much.” I smiled softly looking at the one that he was looking at, Benjamin the bee and Tanya the tiger cub that my sister had made. </p><p class="p1">“Oh that's actually not my art!! That is my little sister Nicola's art I just hung it up on my wall because I'm so proud of her work.” I shrugged with a small smile and Harold laid down upside down next to me so that he could watch me sketch.</p><p class="p1">“I think that it’s amazing that you can just create things like that. I mean you made me real and gave me life and a personality.” I smiled a little bit softly drawing Bernie’s little nose before finishing off with his tail and another bright flash of light appeared in front of me. </p><p class="p1">“Hi there sweetheart!!” He greeted with a flourished bow in front of me before I scooped him up in a hug. Yep just as soft as I had always imagined that he would be. His fur was soft and comforting to the touch and I could see myself rubbing the space between his ears whenever I got anxious at school. </p><p class="p1">“Hi Bernie, let me get a look at you.” I pulled back from the hug seeing that I had drawn him perfectly as he bounced in a little circle wiggling his tail.</p><p class="p1">“I look perfect!! Just like how you originally designed me. Oh you gave me a deck of cards!! Thank you sweetheart these will come in handy.” I smiled softly at the overly enthusiastic bunny that had now taken up a life of his own. It made me so happy that they acted just the way that I had always imagined that they would. True they were ideas plucked from my own head but it still made me happy. </p><p class="p1">“Pick a card any card!!” He exclaimed and I closed my eyes grabbing blindly at one of his cards. Harold looked at the two of us interacting with a small smile on his face. </p><p class="p1">“Alright put the card back sweetheart….” He went through the cards and pulled out exactly the one that I had picked and I applauded for him. I scratched between his ears and his little hind leg started to thump gently against me. </p><p class="p1">“Can I try? I promise I’ll be gentle.” I nodded my head putting Bernie on my lap and my dragon reached a tentative claw to scratch between Bernie’s ears. </p><p class="p1">“That’s the spot right there…” The bunny sighed and I saw the small contented smile start to form. </p><p class="p1">“Not too hard?” Bernie shook his head with a bright smile up at the “fearsome” dragon that was currently making him so happy. </p><p class="p1">“No way!! It feels great I promise I would tell you if it was. I suppose I should introduce myself, I’m Bernie the magic Bunny.” He introduced himself to Harold and I saw the dragon chuckle softly. </p><p class="p1">“I’m Harold the not so fearsome dragon.” I settled against my stuffed animal wall not being able to stop the tears from pooling in my eyes. </p><p class="p1">“Hey sweetheart, you okay?” Bernie quickly leapt into action and I just nodded my rubbing at my eyes. </p><p class="p1">“I’m fine, it’s just you all have been in my head for so long. I just figured that was the only time that I would ever see any of you or hear you talk. I themed you after my mom’s personality. She always seemed to be running about doing a million things at one time. But she also never faltered from her boundless optimism in every situation she always looks on the bright side. Harold you were more the person that I wanted to be more laidback just able to take things at phase value. I guess I’m just verklempt with emotion at the fact that I can actually communicate with you both verbally rather than through a piece of paper.” Bernie lightly thumbed away my tears and I could feel him settle against my neck a little bit. </p><p class="p1">“It’s okay to cry sweetheart when your emotions are too big for you to handle or do anything else. I think that is a completely respectable thing to do. It means that you feel things that you are human. I love this, did Harold do this?” He gestured to my braid and I nodded my head with a small smile on my face. </p><p class="p1">“Thanks Bern I think I’ll be okay. I really appreciate you comforting me though. I think I needed to hear that.” He wrapped his little arms around my neck and I gave his back a little scratch watching his tail twitch up. </p><p class="p1">“You’ll be more than okay sunshine we’ll be right here by your side with whomever else you want to bring with you.” My dragon best friend laid his head down by my side and wrapped his tail around my legs. </p><p class="p1">“I think I’ll keep things small for right now. I don’t want things to be crowded at first and want to build bonds gradually with everybody. Would you like a better costume Bernie? Or are you good for right now with just the hat and the wand?” The bunny hummed a little bit thinking and his little ear moved back and forth. </p><p class="p1">“I think that this is fine for right now. You shouldn’t push yourself I mean I know you’re no clothing designer.” I smiled a little bit softly dimming down my lights and settling against the warmth that was around me. I was naturally cold a little bit to the touch so I was normally a major blanket hog something that my younger siblings hate when they come up to the attic to sleep with me.</p><p class="p1">“My sister made this character Oswald. I can give her the sketchbook once I'm done drawing Peyton he's the last of my characters. He’s the clothing expert not me!!” I promised and Harold just chuckled lightly at me and Bernie blinked over at me with a small smile. </p><p class="p1">“Take your time sweetheart you’ve got all the time in the world and don’t feel pressured. I like the way that I look right now. I love my spots!!” He said enthusiastically and I smiled softly at him rubbing one of his ears. </p><p class="p1">“I’m so glad I’ve always loved calico bunnies they are super cute. I wanted to make you look different and I thought that spots would be cute. Kinda like how I made him the most laidback dragon in the entire world.” I joked and Harold smiled, his fangs coming out. This was the most relaxed that I had felt in a really long damn time. It was comforting and calming and I was able to just be myself and talk with them. </p><p class="p1">“Why did you make him so laidback?” Bernie asked me and I giggled a little bit closing my eyes at the memory. </p><p class="p1">“Well at the time I made him I just wanted to do something that would surprise people. Everyone excepts the same thing when they see a dragon and that’s fearsome. They are supposed to be angry fire breathing monsters but I thought huh what if I made one that was the exact opposite. I was always a bit of a different kid though if I’m being entirely honest.” Harold laughed a little bit at me. </p><p class="p1">“The best kind of different though the kind that makes everything better in the world. Do you want to tell him what you want to do with your life sunshine?” I nodded my head looking up at my ceiling. </p><p class="p1">“I want to be an engineer. I want to design things that help people. I do love drawing it’s not that I don’t love it but I don’t think that I can make a career out of this. As fun as it is I’m not good enough to make a full career out of it.” I protested waving my hand and Bernie just blinked a little bit at me. </p><p class="p1">“But you’re amazing!! I love your art and you made me and everyone else on these walls of yours. I don’t know any other young girl that could have designed me.” Harold fiddled with my remote and he opened the skyline so that I could see the stars. </p><p class="p1">“My parents they designed me this bedroom when I was nine and my younger siblings were born. They had to share my old bedroom for a long time before they made it two separate bedrooms last year. I used to love this cartoon when I was younger called Hey Arnold! Where the main character lived in his attic. He had a skyline but they actually advanced that so that I could open it and close it. It’s rather an impractical thing for early mornings.” I joked but I looked up at the stars seeing all of them glittering and twinkling up there so far from earth.</p><p class="p1">“I remember you watching that show when you were younger!! I used to watch it with you when I was just your imaginary friend.” I nodded my head at Harold since I would draw him watching the show with me. </p><p class="p1">“Yeah you both used to watch it with me!! It was the one where the main character’s head looked like a football.” I reminded Bernie who’s eyes lit up and I saw the toothy smile on his face as he remembered. </p><p class="p1">“Oh my that’s right!! That was such a great show we used to all watch it together. I would love to do that again!!” He encouraged and I laughed a little bit nodding my head because that did sound amazing when he put it like that. </p><p class="p1">“I would love to do that too, I also have a television up here. It’s nothing too big but it does come out of the wall. Can I see that remote again Harold?” I asked him and I pressed the tv button to see my in the wall television. It really wasn’t that big but it made me happy that I could have it along with all my favorite cartoons in boxed sets. </p><p class="p1">“Oooh!! That’s so awesome!! You can watch movies in here at any time that you want to?” I nodded my head and he reached for the remote fiddling with it. </p><p class="p1">“I do have a set time that I can’t use it but we have an hour before that time and I like to watch tv before I fall asleep. As long as I get good grades they let me keep the tv. When I don’t they unplug the cable on the other side of the wall until I get it back up again.” I smile softly talking about the way that my family dynamic worked and I grabbed my sketchbook and started sketching Peyton. I had officially finalized his design and personality last year but I would never admit to the fact that he was my favorite. Even more than Harold. He was a lot of work to design and create but I was so happy when I officially finished him up. </p><p class="p1">“Is that a penguin?! He’s soo cute!!” He exaggerated the so just like I had seen my mom do countless times and I couldn’t help but laugh as I nodded.</p><p class="p1">“He is a penguin! He’s a bit of a grump but I love him he’s really sweet. He reminded me of my dad when I eventually stopped designing his personality. I actually spent three years designing him, it took forever and eventually I was just like this is his personality deal with it.” I sketched his beak with a small smile as I made it into this little bit of frown but his eyes still held the same kindness. </p><p class="p1">“Personality is always the hardest part when I designed any of you. I had to learn to think like you and how you would react to every situation. Eventually I started to look at the people in my life and theme you to them. Tanya is based on my little sister, Carl is my brother that kind of thing.” I explained with a small smile on my face as I looked over at the screen and saw that he had landed on an old rerun of Teen Titans that was airing. </p><p class="p1">“Was I themed after anybody?” Harold asked and I shook my head with a small smile playing with one of the flower’s in his mane. </p><p class="p1">“You were the only one that was entirely my own idea because your personality was so similar to my own. The only things that are different are the stuff that I would change about myself. I took so much of what I drew you doing and started doing it myself. I started meditating, doing yoga, drinking calming tea all the things that you do. It helped me out so much when I was younger and it still does.” I explained to the dragon and he leaned his big head against mine rumbling a soft purr. It was this calming sound that instantly sent me into a relaxed state. </p><p class="p1">“Did I ever help you with anything?” Bernie’s soft voice asked me a little bit scared and I nodded my head with a small smile. </p><p class="p1">“Of course you did!! You helped me be a more optimistic person. Even when I drew things not going your way you always found a way to finish your show. I loved that about you how you were able to take every bad situation and make it into a better. I do that same thing now. It taught me to not panic when something is going wrong… usually. Group presentations are the exception to the rule because I get more stressed that everyone is staring at me.” I stuck my fist out for the little bunny to pound and he did it eagerly. I adjusted Peyton’s height a little bit to make him shorter than Bernie.</p><p class="p1">“What are you numbskulls lookin’ at?” I heard the voice come out of that body and I couldn’t help it, it was so not what I was expecting to come out of him. Bernie looked like he had been hit by a thunderbolt.</p><p class="p1">“I’m sorry-Peyton I’m sorry to laugh at you but that voice was not what I was expecting to come out of that body.” I dried my tears of mirth that were coming from my eyes and Harold looked over at the temperamental penguin in front of us. </p><p class="p1">“So you think my voice is funny kid? This is not starting off well.” I stuck my tongue out at the little creature in front of me. </p><p class="p1">“I know I’m sorry for laughing at you Pey that wasn’t what I was expecting that’s all. I’m Elise, this is Harold my dragon and this is Bernie my rabbit. Welcome to the family!” I greeted him and he just blinked a little bit at Bernie. </p><p class="p1">“You okay?” He asked him shortly and I saw Bernie leap up to hug him only to be pushed back by a held up wing. </p><p class="p1">“Uh huh no hugs, I’m not the hugging type. Nice try though rabbit.” I saw Bernie’s ears droop slightly and a pout start to form. </p><p class="p1">“I just wanted to greet you, there’s no need to be rude.” He kicked a small stuffed animal off of my bed and I quirked up an eyebrow and Harold. </p><p class="p1">“Peyton that was not very nice of you to do to poor Bernie. Just let him give you a hug.” Harold reasoned and I saw Bernie’s ears perk up a little bit at the prospect. </p><p class="p1">“Alright fine, the annoyance can give me a hug.” Bernie bounded over to hug the penguin tightly to him. I couldn’t help but find the scene in front of me absolutely adorable.</p><p class="p1">“I give them a month before they get together.” I whispered to Harold and he stuck his claw out for me to shake. </p><p class="p1">“You are so on sunshine, I give them a week.” I shook his claw with a small laugh as I watched Peyton slowly push Bernie away. </p><p class="p1">“Alright you got your hug, you good now?” Bernie nodded his head doing a little hopping dance around in a circle. </p><p class="p1">“Can I have the next hug?” I asked the grumpy penguin and I saw the slow appearance of a smile on his face. “Come here kid.” I hugged the little penguin and he was cold to the touch but that was to be expected. </p><p class="p1">“Hi Peyton.” I greeted and he nuzzled the space between my neck and my shoulder with his beak. </p><p class="p1">“Hi kid. Thanks.” I didn’t understand why he was thanking me. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Was he thanking me for bringing him to life? </p><p class="p1">“What about me? Do I get a hug?” Harold asked and I saw Peyton gently roll his eyes crossing his arms. </p><p class="p1">“Do I have to hug everybody around here?” He whined but hugged the dragon anyways. I could see that deep down despite all the complaining that he was currently doing that he was just a big old softie. </p><p class="p1">“There are we done now, no more hugs right?” I nodded my head with a small chuckle at him but he waddled his way into my arms anyways. </p><p class="p1">“I thought you didn’t want anymore hugs Pey?” I asked him softly and he just sighed a little bit blinking up at me. </p><p class="p1">“I don’t mind yours so much kid yours are special. And your fur is really soft rabbit.” I watched the joy fly across Bernie’s face.</p><p class="p1">“I think you just made his life Peyton…” I nuzzled him gently with a small smile and a laugh at my best friend.</p><p class="p1">“He better not let it go to his head.” I laughed at my grumpy little penguin best friend kissing his forehead gently. </p><p class="p1">“I won’t let it go to my head!! Promise!! That just makes me really, really happy.” I saw Bernie do his little hop and snuggle next to me. </p><p class="p1">“Why did you thank me?” I asked the penguin and he just sighed a little bit kicking his legs back and forth like I did when I was nervous. </p><p class="p1">“Well I mean I was the last to be officially designed right? Where is everybody else?” He asked me and I smiled softly at the fantasy creature brought to life.</p><p class="p1">“I haven’t drawn them yet. I wanted just some quality time with you three because you technically are my favorites.” When I told Peyton that it looked like he almost didn’t believe me. He wrapped his wing around my arm like he was afraid that I was going to regret my life decisions. </p><p class="p1">“I was the last to be drawn right?” Harold nodded his head with a small smile on his face as he ran his claw down the side of my wall. </p><p class="p1">“That doesn’t mean that you’re the last in her heart though. She loves all of us equally.” He encouraged and I nodded my head with a bright smile on my face. </p><p class="p1">“He’s right every last one of you has helped me get through something. Some of this art is my sister’s that she made up here. I hung it because I’m super proud of her.” I explained gesturing to the others that were hanging up on the wall. </p><p class="p1">“So these don’t belong to you?” Peyton asked me and I shook my head with a small laugh putting my braid on one side of my neck. </p><p class="p1">“No they do not belong to me. Is that what had you all nervous Pey? You thought that I made all of these critters?” He nodded and I kissed his beak gently with a small smile on my face as I melted into the bed. </p><p class="p1">“Well yeah you’re talented enough to make all of these little guys. Plus they are all in your exact art style so how was I supposed to know?” I showed her the clothing on Tanya and gave him the expression that screamed none of you have clothes how was I supposed to make you?</p><p class="p1">“I can’t draw clothing to save my life that’s how you’re supposed to know dumdum.” I teased and he half heartedly glared at me. </p><p class="p1">“Don’t call me a dumdum kid. You might have made me but that doesn’t mean that I can’t use these things for violence.” I laughed openly as he tried to ball his wings into fits only to find that he physically couldn’t as it was impossible. </p><p class="p1">“Gah!! What are these things for if you can’t fly or threaten people with them.” He kicked his legs in a mini temper tantrum and I smiled softly at Peyton. </p><p class="p1">“They make you look more adorable if that means anything to you?” I offered and he just stuck his tongue out lightly at me.</p><p class="p1">“I am not adorable. I’m tough.” I laughed even harder at the penguin that was currently cradled in my arms. </p><p class="p1">“I love you Peyton but you are not tough in fact you’re just the opposite. You are in fact the cutest thing that I have ever seen in my entire life.” I teased and he lightly hit me on the arm with his wing. </p><p class="p1">“It makes you a faster swimmer!! I think that’s what they are used for actually.” Bernie’s eyes lit up with a bright smile at the angry bundle in my arms. </p><p class="p1">“Well thank you rabbit because that’s so useful.” I lightly flicked the top of Peyton’s head looking at him a little bit hurt that he had used sarcasm when Bernie was just trying to be helpful.</p><p class="p1">“That was rude of you Peyton, he was just trying to help you out. I did make you a penguin on purpose because I thought that they were cute and you are. Even if you’re not at all what I was expecting. I’m just happy that you’re here at all.” I cheered and he laughed a little bit at me his beak turning up into a little bit of a smile. </p><p class="p1">“Me too kid. Me too.” My heart broke at the fact that my notion was right. He really didn’t think that I would bring him to life like I had Harold or Bernie. I actually had my found family right here after I had waited so long to find them. They would help me make some friends. </p><p class="p1">“I had an idea Elise, what if each of us takes a job and we all help you to boost yourself. Like I’ll take self worth, Peyton takes self confidence and Bernie takes self love!!” Harold cheered and I felt tears come to my eyes. </p><p class="p1">“I’d love to help you out sweetheart!! I think that’s just an amazing idea.” Bernie exclaimed with a bright smile as he buried himself into my side.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll help too kid you need more self confidence in your life. For somebody so talented your self worth really is down the dumper.” I rubbed the back of my neck with a small laugh. With these three by my side I felt like I could conquer just about anything. </p><p class="p1">“Peyton!!” Harold admonished and my best friend looked at the dragon as if to say what it’s true man. </p><p class="p1">“No he’s right, he’s so right it’s honestly embarrassing. I would love to be more confident and self assured like the rest of my peers.” I felt Bernie put his little paw on my shoulder and I smiled at my little bunny. </p><p class="p1">“Well I mean in my opinion anybody can learn absolutely anything!! You just need to find it in yourself to believe that you are an amazing person. I think that no matter what happens, even if this doesn’t work out the way that Harold thinks it will that you will grow as a person because of it.” Bernie encouraged with a bright smile on his face. His enthusiasm much like my mom’s was infectious and I believed in him with everything that he told me. </p><p class="p1">“Listen kid, it won’t be easy but yeah I’ll try my hardest to help you out. I think that you of all people deserve to have a group of friends.” Peyton added as more of an afterthought as I heard the door to the stairs open and my dad start coming up the stairs and all my fantasy friends rushed for a place to hide.</p><p class="p1">“Elise it’s time to turn off the television and try and get some sleep tonight. I love you.” He kissed my forehead tucking me into bed and I smiled brightly at him. </p><p class="p1">“Night dad. I love you too.” I saw Harold’s tail peak around the corner but my dad didn’t seem to pay any mind to it. Could he not see them? This just made everything even easier!! I could take them to school with me and nobody could ever see them.</p><p class="p1">“Do you have anything other than the new seating arrangement going on at school tomorrow?” I shook my head but I could feel the small smile on my face. </p><p class="p1">“No but I think I’ll ask Mrs Green about the drama club tomorrow after school so I might be back a little bit later than normal.” I saw my dad start to smile at me as he sat down on my bed and hand me my cinnamon roll stuffed animal. </p><p class="p1">“I know that you can do whatever you want to sweetheart. You shouldn’t do this because it’s what we think that you should do. You should do theater because you want to and it’s what makes you really genuinely happy. I think that you would be a remarkable actress and change the world through your own special ways. Do you know exactly what you want to do when you graduate from high school?” Harold nodded waving his hands in the motion to tell my dad what I had been thinking about doing. </p><p class="p1">“Yeah I do have some idea of what I want to do. It’s not art dad as much as I love doing it to calm myself down and as much Harold and Bernie did for me when I was younger and Peyton last year I just can’t see myself taking it seriously as a profession. I want to go into engineering really bad. I want to help people I know that much. Helping people has been my dream since I was really little.” I felt so much better after telling my dad what I was thinking about doing with the rest of my life and my heart lightened. </p><p class="p1">“Honey I know that you can do great things for the world of engineering with your big brain!! I think that is a fantastic life goal to work your way towards.” He exclaimed and I felt him hug me tightly. He was the original guy that taught me how to fix things when I accidentally broke my bed by bouncing on it when I was younger. </p><p class="p1">“I still want to join the drama club, I feel like it could be fun!! I want to make friends this year finally dad. Friends are something that I’ve wanted for a long time.” My dad squeezed my hand and kissed my forehead. </p><p class="p1">“You can do anything that you put your mind to Elise. Whether that be making some friends or changing the world in the future. Night pumpkin.” He dimmed my lights and I looked up at the stars in the sky.</p><p class="p1">“Sunshine you did so well!! I’m so proud of you!!” Harold encouraged and I hugged the big friendly dragon. </p><p class="p1">“You did a good job kid. I think that your dad is really genuinely proud of you.” Peyton reminded me settling back down in my arms and looking up at the ceiling at all the stars. Bernie put his arm around Peyton and I could see that he wanted to shove him off but for some reason he just… didn’t. He did look like he would have the little anime irritation sign on his head though and that made me smile. </p><p class="p1">“Are you getting tired sweetheart?” I shook my head because I wanted to stay up for a while long with my friends. It made me glad that I had a separate bedroom up in the attic so my parents wouldn’t hear me talking to myself and think that I had lost my mind.</p><p class="p1">“No I’m fine really, I got more sleep than I needed last night. I suffer from really bad nightmares. Most of you probably already knew that because I have the tendency to draw late at night or early mornings I’ll draw one of you to calm me down and get me back to sleep if I can.” I got settled under the warmth of my covers and Peyton squirmed his way into my arms sighing contentedly. </p><p class="p1">“Alright kid so first step to self confidence, what is it that you like about yourself? This might be hard for you to answer and it’s okay if you don’t know right now.” Peyton told me and I felt my cheeks turn a light pink. </p><p class="p1">“I-I love what a good big sister I am…” I whispered and Peyton nodded his head with a small smile. </p><p class="p1">“I can confirm that you are the best big sister!!” Bernie encouraged sitting on my lap and settling himself down there while Harold went vertically on my big bed.</p><p class="p1">“You really are Elise, is there anything else that you can think of?” I nodded my head taking an easy breath to relax myself. </p><p class="p1">“I love the fact that I’m different. It’s never been something that I’ve hidden from the rest of the world. I love dragons, I love theater and I love animals. I’m not ashamed of my love of those things. Heck most of what I own in my wardrobe has a dragon on it. Even though it’s gotten me bullied and ridiculed over the years for being different it’s still something that I could never in a million years not love about myself.” I explained the other thing that I loved about myself to the rest of my fantasy friends. </p><p class="p1">“I’ve always loved that about you too! I mean of course I do because I am a dragon but when you would talk passionately about me to anybody that asked it made my heart feel so full.” Bernie nodded his head in affirmation with a small smile on his face and laid his head down so that he could nuzzle into me. </p><p class="p1">“I agree!! I always loved when you would talk about me with other people. I could hear the happiness through the paper. What about you Pey?” I saw the penguin half heartedly glare at Bernie but I could tell that he meant no actual malice behind it. </p><p class="p1">“Is everybody just going to start calling me by the shortening of my name?!” I laughed a little bit as Bernie played the droopy ear tactic again. </p><p class="p1">“Fine!! Geez you can call me Pey.” He huffed and I saw Bernie smile softly at the grumpy one of the trio. I could tell in the back of his head that he knew he had already won the war. Whether Peyton liked it or not he would learn to love Bernie. I couldn’t wait to see that because it sounded absolutely adorable. </p><p class="p1">“Is there anything else that you love about yourself sunshine?” Harold asked me and I hummed in thought for a moment. </p><p class="p1">“I love my ability to remember things? Like I can recite my favorite scripts for memory once they are burned into my skull. It works for everything except for biology.” I joked and Peyton smiled softly up at me. </p><p class="p1">“I can help you with that silly biology class trust me pretty soon you’ll be able to do that class in your sleep.” I cheered at the fact that I had made Peyton actually really good at studies. I had been deeply inspired by the personality of Hank Green who ran Crash Course a YouTube channel that I started watching for my history classes back in middle school. </p><p class="p1">“I can’t really help with school but I can make treats!” Harold offered and I smiled softly at the big friendly dragon. </p><p class="p1">“That is equally helpful thank you Har. That means a lot to me that you guys are willing to do this with me. That’s about all that I love about myself for right now. I’m sorry if that isn’t really a whole lot.” Peyton lightly thwacked my arm with his flipper and made me look down at him. The determination that I saw there made me fear for anybody that ever got him really angry. </p><p class="p1">“It was more than I was expecting kid. I’m proud of you for admitting those things to me. I know how terrifying that must have been. Loving yourself and what you do is not an easy thing to do. It is something that takes time and practice. It is also something that takes effort. You will need to put in the effort to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and love the person looking back at you. Not in a conceded way of course.” I felt tears come to my eyes and start to fall down my cheeks. </p><p class="p1">“Pey!! You made her cry!!” Bernie instantly leapt into action drying my tears and settling against my cheek. </p><p class="p1">“I’m sorry kid I didn’t mean to make you cry. It’s just that self love is really important for anybody and everybody. Even obnoxious little rabbits.” Bernie gently jabbed at him with his hind leg and Peyton sputtered a little bit. </p><p class="p1">“Watch the foot I’m down here!!” I couldn’t help but laugh at the two of them they were just too ridiculous and adorable. </p><p class="p1">“Children stop bickering. Sunshine, do you think your dad can’t see us?” Harold asked me and I nodded my head with a small smile. </p><p class="p1">“You know what that means? You guys can come to school with me!!” I cheered and Peyton smiled softly at me.</p><p class="p1">“Fine, as long as I get to talk bad about the people that bully you.” I laughed at the angry penguin in my arms nodding my head with a small smile. </p><p class="p1">“I don’t think you’re allowed to physically hurt people that can’t see you. So right now that’s only me thankfully. I just hope that you don’t use that to your advantage.” I teased and he rolled his eyes at me with a small pout. </p><p class="p1">“I’ll only lightly hit you when you’re spacing out. It could come in handy you never really know.” He shrugged his flippers and I couldn’t help but laugh at him scoffing a little bit at the very idea that I spaced out more than most other people. </p><p class="p1">“Newsflash Pey everyone spaces out at least all the people that I have met in my life in high school. You’ve never been in a history class where most of the people are doing that thing where it looks like they are falling. I love history actually my teacher is really amazing, Stins is really great at teaching me at least. That’s what most of his homeroom kids like me call him, Stinson is his full name.” I mentioned to my fantasy friends starting to feel a little bit more tired now I would need to close my skyline before I fell asleep. I grabbed my remote and closed it so that the ceiling came back. </p><p class="p1">“That’s a really cool gadget there kid, did you make it yourself?” I nodded my head with a small smile handing the remote to Harold as he put it on my nightstand. </p><p class="p1">“I wanted the ability to see the stars like Arnold in the old Hey Arnold cartoon that used to run on Nickelodeon when I was a kid. He had the coolest bedroom and that’s why I was so happy to have the attic when my mom had my younger siblings. They had me really young when they were still in their first years of college.” I told them and Bernie looked up at my ceiling with a small smile. </p><p class="p1">“I didn’t know that…” Bernie mentioned and I laughed a little bit scratching between his ears with a small smile. </p><p class="p1">“That’s because it’s not something that I talk about a whole lot goofball. I love my parents I really do. They’ve done just about everything in their power to make sure that I lead a happy life. Despite all the trouble that I’ve probably caused them since I was a kid. They probably thought for so many years that today I would tell them that I finally made a friend…” I sighed a little bit running a hand through my fringe that Harold had left alone. </p><p class="p1">“Sunshine, they’re your parents so I won’t say that they weren’t worried about you because they were. They love you though for the person that you are. I am so proud of you for being able to get through high school so far! You’ve already made it through the first three months and isn’t that something really incredible?!” Harold reminded me and I found myself easily comforted by my old dragon friend. </p><p class="p1">“The hippie dragon makes a good point kid. You’ve already carried the weight of high school for three months. So I’m proud of you.” Peyton told me and my heart squeezed tightly feelings tears pool in my eyes. They were proud of me and despite everything I had come out stronger. Even if sometimes it was hard for me to work through things. </p><p class="p1">“I am a hippie so thank you for the compliment Peyton.” Harold waved his claw indifferently and I smiled softly at my old friend. </p><p class="p1">“Am I the cute one?” Bernie thought aloud and I nodded my head with a small laugh at my best friend. </p><p class="p1">“You are the cute and adorable one Bern. But you’re also the sweet one.” I kissed his forehead gently and he giggled a little bit at me. </p><p class="p1">“And what does that make me huh?” Peyton asked me and I looked down at the cuddly penguin in my arms. </p><p class="p1">“You’re the hard one but with the heart soft as cotton candy.” I teased and he just sighed a little bit putting a flipper over his eyes. </p><p class="p1">“Yeah, yeah just don’t let anybody else know…” I laughed a little bit through a yawn as I settled against my pillow. </p><p class="p1">“Your secret is safe with me tough guy…” I let my eyes slip closed and finally let sleep overtake me.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Episode Two: Seating rearrangement, my first friend?!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">“Hey kid, take some deep breaths. I can see you panicking up there. What’s the big deal? It’s just a new seat. You probably won’t even talk to the person next to you.” Peyton reminded me of how sweaty my palms were as I loitered outside of my English class.</p><p class="p1">“I can’t help it Pey! I’m really nervous about this for some reason. Usually I would say that you were right and I wouldn’t want to fight you on this. But for some reason I’m like super anxious about this. I can’t explain it. If I could my life would be a lot easier right now.” I shot back in a whisper tone. People around here already thought that I was nuts but I didn’t want to add to that by looking like I was talking to myself.</p><p class="p1">“Sunshine, hey look at me okay?” Harold drew my attention to where he was flying above me and he went into his zen pose.</p><p class="p1">“Deep breath with me alright? Just like you always do with me. In through the nose… out through the mouth…” He encouraged and I took several deep breaths as Bernie peaked his head out of my hoodie pocket.</p><p class="p1">“You’re doing great sweetheart. Just keep breathing and you’ll be okay. I’m sorry that you have to go through all this fuss.” He mentioned and I breathed the way that my dragon was above me. This was getting a lot easier for me to breathe and I peaked my head in to se that there was a boy sitting in the spot next to my name. I couldn’t see him much from where I was standing but… he was cute. I knew that much and I felt my cheeks start to flame.</p><p class="p1">“So the guy is cute it doesn’t mean that he can’t be a jerk too…” Peyton flipped me lightly and I laughed at him. I took one last deep breath and saw my English teacher smile at me.</p><p class="p1">“Good morning Elise!! Your seat is still right here in the front row. I think that you’ll like this arrangement a lot better than your last one.” He tossed me a joking wink and I turned seeing the cute boy that I had seen outside. If I thought that he was cute from the side that was nothing compared to a full frontal view. He had tan skin, adorably large glasses, a heart stopping smile, fluffy looking hair that I wanted to run my hands through and was hands down the most attractive person that I had ever seen. Even though I didn’t really see that in another person it was almost impossible not to.</p><p class="p1">
  <b>The boy POV: </b>
</p><p class="p1"><em>This is going to be my new desk partner?! Yes please, she’s so cute!! Her little freckles look like constellations that I want to connect.<br/></em> <b></b></p><p class="p1"><b>Elise’s POV: </b><br/>Okay girl just sit yourself down and you’ll be alright. You don’t even have to talk to him. You didn’t need to talk to your last one so why would this be any different.</p><p class="p1">“Do you like dragons?! I love dragons, they’re so cool!!” The boy next to me asked me enthusiastically and I blushed a bright pink. Cute boy? Talking to me? Abort mission!!</p><p class="p1">“I-I yeah I love them! Dragons are my favorite things…” I played with my index fingers a little bit nervously and I saw Harold in front of me wave his hands as if to carry on the conversation.</p><p class="p1">“Mine too, I’m pretty much into everything fantasy especially Lord Of The Rings. That’s one of the reasons why I took this class was so that I could study fictional novels.” He said enthusiastically and I saw the boy stick his hand out.</p><p class="p1">“I’m Calvin by the way!!” I took his hand shyly and a little bit nervously hoping that it wasn’t sweaty anymore. I felt this little zing of electricity when his hand shook mine and I looked down to see Peyton side eyeing my desk partner so hard that if he was Medusa he would have turned Calvin to stone.</p><p class="p1">“I’m Elise nice to meet you.” I pushed a lock of hair nervously behind my ear just wanting class to start already so I wouldn’t have to be an awkward disaster around this boy anymore.</p><p class="p1">“Do you like musical theater Elise?” He asked me and I tentatively nodded my head with a nervous but at the same time happy smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“I love musical theater!! My favorite is probably Mary Poppins, I love old Sherman Brother’s music.” Calvin’s smile grew all the bigger and I felt my eyes look up to meet his for just a fraction of a second because I wasn’t sure what color they were. When his honeyed brown met my sea green I found for the first time in my life I wasn’t terrified to look at somebody for too long.</p><p class="p1">“A fan of the classics!! There aren’t a whole lot of those out there but I love that. But you aren’t a member of the drama club right?” I shook my head with a small smile my hair going every which way since I had left it down today.</p><p class="p1">“No I’m not, I’ve always wanted to be but I’ve been too nervous about joining. I kinda have a bit of stage fright.” I gave a half truth since that was better than lying through my teeth and I saw the sympathy in Calvin’s eyes.</p><p class="p1">“Well maybe I can help!!” My eyes widened as this information settled in. This boy actually wanted to help me with something? Without wanting anything in return?</p><p class="p1">“He might be your first friend try and take his offer sweetheart!!” Bernie encouraged me and I shook my head since that was a ridiculous notion. <em>Him liking me yeah right. He’s just being nice. He’s nice to everybody. It’s no wonder that he has so many friends. </em></p><p class="p1">“I’ll um I’ll think about it…” I trailed off as the final bell ring, was it me or did his eyes look a little bit sad right now?</p><p class="p1">“Good morning my young readers!!” Mr. Murano called the class to order and I looked up at the teacher.</p><p class="p1">“Why didn’t you take him up on his offer?!” Bernie asked me hoping onto my desk and I looked down at him with tears in my eyes.</p><p class="p1">“Calvin Garcia is the most popular guy in my school. Do you think of all people he would really want to be friends with me? He has a million friends why would he need me? I’ve never even had one friend, not one.” I muttered to the rabbit on my desk who hopped up onto my lap and cupped my cheeks in his paws.</p><p class="p1">“You listen to me Elise. That boy over there you didn’t see the look on his face when you said that you would think about it. He was just as affected by you as you were by him. I know that you are a stranger to having friends but this conversation, this give and take kind of deal this is how you make them. If you ever want to stop being alone at school all the time that is how you do it. You talk to people and you accept them into your life. Not everybody will treat you like your second grade classmates who ditched you. This boy he wants to be your friend!! If you don’t you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.” He advised me and Peyton looked past Bernie in my arms.</p><p class="p1">“Now let’s not be too hasty here, she doesn’t even know this guy.” I looked up at Harold wanting a third opinion.</p><p class="p1">“I say go for it sunshine he seems like a really nice boy. Calvin and Elise I like the sound of that, it’s got a nice ring to it.” I flushed a bright shade of red trying to ignore the feelings that I was having. I didn’t even know this guy so why would I be worrying about that.</p><p class="p1">“Okay, okay, okay I’ll try to talk to him alright? I make you no promises that anything will go alright.” I took a deep breath before turning my attention to Calvin next to me who was trying his best to not look at me.</p><p class="p1">“I umm what’s your favorite musical since you already know what mine is?” I asked him, my voice quiet but when I saw him turn around with little sparkles in his eyes.</p><p class="p1">“I really, really love Newsies actually!! So both done by Disney but I also love Great Comet of 1812. For the classics I’m with you I love old school Sherman Brother’s and the lyrics that they were able to create. I don’t think I could have worked with my older sister on anything that substantial for so long. I mean maybe for a year but never any longer. We would wind up killing each other.” I couldn’t stop the bubble of laughter even if I wanted to. It was loud, it was my genuine laugh not my polite one that I would usually give to things like this. Everyone in the room was staring at me but Bernie just took my pinky in his paw encouragingly winking at me.</p><p class="p1">“I think that my siblings could probably do it, they’re fraternal twins and a lot alike. They rarely fight so it’s nice to not have to break them up as frequently. I do love modern shows too. I think you kinda have to love Hamilton in this day and age since it's broken so many ground barriers.” I mentioned to him and he held up his hand plucking out his phone to show me a screenshot.</p><p class="p1">“I love Hamilton too!! My old school before I moved out here we had a task where we had to write a letter to our heroes and Lin was mine. I come from a Spanish speaking family so once I heard that he was from I knew that I had to write a letter. He actually wrote me back though!!” I smiled brightly as I looked at the framed postcard.</p><p class="p1">“That’s so amazing, you must have been so happy. I’ve never done anything like that. I mean I would but I would be too nervous that they wouldn’t write me back.” I saw him smile at me and my heart skipped a few beats in my chest.</p><p class="p1">“I bolted through the front door screaming. My dad is a late night college professor so to say that he was not happy with me for waking him up from his morning sleep. I don’t know, do you have any heroes?” I couldn’t help but chuckle at the idea of how cute and adorably happy he must have been.</p><p class="p1">“I really love Ursula K Le Guin she’s an older writer who passed away though. I met her when I was little though when I was eight she was doing a book tour around here.” Calvin’s eyes lit up with a bright smile on his face.</p><p class="p1">“I know exactly who that is!! <em>But it is one thing to read about dragons and another to meet them. </em>She wrote the Earthsea series, those were some of my favorite books when I was growing up!!” My heart beat even faster. <em>Where had this boy been all my life? </em>He knew one of my favorite lines from the entire series right off the top of his head.</p><p class="p1">“I’ve always loved that line!! It’s one of my favorites in the entire series they are all beautifully comprised. The one sad thing is that the Ghibli movie wasn’t as good as it could have been for me who is a diehard fan of the books.” My friend laughed a little bit at me turning so that he could face me a bit easier.</p><p class="p1">“You’re a fan of animation? I love their movies too!! I actually went to go and see Earthsea in theaters when I was a kid and I was so excited. Talk about a huge letdown. I mean it had some of the wonder and magic of the books but they could have done so much more.” I nodded my head because I was there too next to my dad and my mom who read the books with me when I was younger.</p><p class="p1">“I was really mad about it when I was younger. I don’t think that anything has ever hit the unadulterated rage button inside of me like that. I love a lot of their other movies, Howl’s Moving Castle is one of the most magical experiences that I know of. I know now why it was so bad mostly because Hayao didn’t give his son a whole lot of help.” I played with the length of my hair and I saw Peyton glare at Calvin fully.</p><p class="p1">“What is with you?” I muttered under my breath at the penguin and he kicked my side. I winced a little bit but looked up at Calvin as he started talking to me again.</p><p class="p1">“I heard that too!! But it still doesn’t give him an excuse but it made a lot more sense to me. I did love Therru’s song though.” I nodded my head since I sang that song myself even though it was something that calmed me down.</p><p class="p1">“I play piano!! I love to play the piano to that song since I taught myself how to play that one. I learned how to play when I was a little girl but I just kept with it once I started to get into anime because I could actually play things that I wanted to.” I spoke passionately about my love of piano since it was one of those things that just calmed me down. I had a keyboard up in my room that I would plug my headphones into and just listen to.</p><p class="p1">“I would love to hear you play sometime, I play guitar. I think it’s amazing that you are musically talented. Are you sure that you don’t want to take me up on my offer? I can take you to see Mrs. Green tomorrow?” He offered me his assistance and I nodded my head since I thought that if he went with me maybe I could do it.</p><p class="p1">“Yeah that sounds great! I would love that actually! Thanks for offering.” Peyton kicked my side again and I looked up at Mr. Murano.</p><p class="p1">“Can I take a quick walk sir?” I asked him and the kind teacher nodded giving me a hall pass. I put it around my neck half heartedly glaring at Peyton.</p><p class="p1">“You want to tell me why I’m suddenly your own personal kicking bag?” I asked him tired of being kicked by his little feet.</p><p class="p1">“Why are you even talking to that guy? I mean I don’t get it, he’s just your stereotypical pretty boy, I’m sure that there are other people who want to be your friend kid. Maybe somebody a little less male.” I glared at him because honestly, this was ridiculous. I put him down on the ground and he waddled next to me.</p><p class="p1">“Really? You’re jealous, I can’t believe this… I make my first possible friend ever and you spend most of the time glaring at him and hurting me.” I lectured half heartedly but when Peyton looked at me I could see the regret in his eyes.</p><p class="p1">“Look kid I’m sorry about all that. I really didn’t mean anything by it. I just didn’t want you to fall for some self important jerk. I know that you think that this guy is good and everything but I’m just concerned about you that’s all. I’m a protective and possessive person I guess when it comes to you.” He added after the thought and my heart went out to the grumpy penguin.</p><p class="p1">“I get why you’re concerned and everything but I’m fine really. I might be naive but that does not make stupid. Is there anything in particular that is making you think that he might not be as good as a person that I see?” I asked him and he huffed a little bit crossing his flippers over each other.</p><p class="p1">“Well I mean what kind of guy just instantly takes one look at you and decides that you randomly like dragons?” I looked at him with a quirked up eyebrow showing him my shirt that I had gotten for my birthday last year that said Draggin’ Myself Out Of Bed.</p><p class="p1">“Well gee I don’t maybe the fact that I have a dragon shirt on, there’s a dragon clip on my backpack and my journal for that class has a dragon on it?” I joked and he just laughed a little bit at me.</p><p class="p1">“I guess I was being a little bit overprotective huh?” I nodded my head but I understood why he was acting the way that he was.</p><p class="p1">“I know that you’re protective over me more than the others. It probably has something to do with the anger issues that I gave to you. It just hurt when your flipper kept on kicking me. I have a really high tolerance for pain but geez…” I teased and he sighed a little bit looking up at me his eyes pleading.</p><p class="p1">“I’m sorry kid. If I do that again you can put me in the time out backpack.” I laughed a little bit picking him back up as I walked him over to the frozen vending machine.</p><p class="p1">“Pick whichever thing that you want to eat.” I told him and he pointed to the one with Reese’s Pieces in the ice cream sandwich my personal favorite. I inserted my money into the machine for my biweekly snack and gave it to the penguin.</p><p class="p1">“There you go. Will you please stop kicking me now?” He nodded as I unwrapped his treat and gave it to him.</p><p class="p1">“I will kid I’m sorry about causing you any pain at all. Is your arm alright?” I nodded my head going back up the stairs to my class and handing Mr. Murano his hall pass back.</p><p class="p1">“Are you quite alright?” I nodded my head with a small smile on my face. I sat down back next to Calvin and saw a piece of paper there labeled group project.</p><p class="p1">“We have to pick the book that we think most describes the best of writing fictional magic.” He told me and showed me what he had already labeled there, The Farthest Shore. <em>This one’s a keeper. </em>I told myself with a small laugh.</p><p class="p1">“That sounds amazing!! You already picked the best book with magic in it and I have the first argument. She actually gave her series a brand of magic. It’s called naming magic, where if you know the name of something then you can control that thing. With most works of fiction you just say oh it’s magic and people will buy it.” I explained animatedly my hands waving everywhere stimming.</p><p class="p1">“That’s great!! We can work with that I’ll jot that down right here. Keep the ideas coming. We do have to present this in front of the class. Mr. Murano said that you might have a problem with that though so we can work something out?” I didn’t want him to think that I was a coward so I shook my head.</p><p class="p1">“Kid what are you doing? After the last sensory overload last month you told your parents that you wouldn’t do anymore group projects for a while.” Peyton asked me and I bit down the bile that threatened to rise out of my throat.</p><p class="p1">“Are you sure that you’re alright with that? It’s really no trouble with me, trust me it would actually be easier for me. I hate doing class presentations. I mean drama is one thing but I have a bit of a hard time presenting things in front of the class that I’m not confident about. Then again this has been one of my favorite books since I was five so I probably won’t have any problems.” He mentioned and I blinked a little bit at Calvin. Did he… have anxiety? I shook myself because the very notion was ridiculous.</p><p class="p1">“Yes I do have anxiety. It just doesn’t relate to performing, well it used to. Believe it or not I was massively socially anxious before I moved here. I decided new school new me you know?” I nodded my head with a small understanding smile.</p><p class="p1">“Is that why you’re so adamant about helping me?” He nodded his head but I could see in his eyes that it was different.</p><p class="p1">“It is but there is something else. I want to be your friend. It might seem weird or something and I’m sorry if it does but it’s the way that I think. I think that we could be really good friends.” He offered and I could see the there was something earnest and true about his intentions.</p><p class="p1">“I-I would like that a lot. I’ve never had a friend before…” I trailed off and he blinked a little bit but I saw the sadness in his eyes.</p><p class="p1">“Well I’ll just have to be the first one then!!” He promised and I laughed a little bit with a small smile on my face. Peyton looked up at me with a small smile. I knew that he trusted my decision and when I went back to looking at my notebook to jot down a few more ideas.</p><p class="p1">“I could bring my book that she signed!!” I cheered and Calvin just blinked a little bit in surprise as I showed him the well worn copy of The Farthest Shore that I kept in my backpack. I showed him the opening page that had kept me going when I was really lonely as a little girl.</p><p class="p1">“To Elise, keep reading and one day you’ll change the world, Ursula K. Le Guin. That’s so incredible oh my god-“ I laughed a little bit at the fact that I could finally share this with somebody.</p><p class="p1">“It was so magical. She was really nice to me, I doubt that she remembered me since it was only for a few minutes but she took the time to talk to me. I told her about how she was the reason that I loved dragons so much and that I wanted to do something with art when I got older and that’s what she wrote. Of course now I want to do something different but when I was younger I was all about art.” He looked a little bit harder at the writing in the book and I could see the kindness in his eyes.</p><p class="p1">“We would have been best friends as little kids. I just know it in my soul.” I laughed at my new friend taking my book back from him.</p><p class="p1">“If you think so, I could have used a friend like you when I was younger I think. My parents stood in line with me to meet her. It’s something that I will always be grateful for but I would have liked to have done it with a friend. Reading was my escape so Farthest Shore was always my favorite because obviously dragon girl.” I gestured to me and hearing that laugh lit me up somewhere inside of me.</p><p class="p1">“Adorable dragon girl is more like it.” He mentioned with a soft tone and I flushed a bright pink tucking locks of hair behind my ear that just went back to where they were. Peyton side eyed himand I just lightly flicked the back of his head.</p><p class="p1">“I-I don’t know about adorable but thank you…” I trailed off and I could see the quirk of a smile on his face.</p><p class="p1">“I wouldn’t try and fight me on this Elise. You will lose I am certain of that.” I laughed at my friend and played with the ends of my hair.</p><p class="p1">“What are some of your other favorite things other than your love of flying mythical creatures?” He asked me and I looked down at Bernie who was in my pocket as I scratched between his ears with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“I love cartoons, like a lot. I grew up watching Dragon Tales especially that one was my favorite because obviously. But I also spent a lot of my childhood watching Hey Arnold, Teen Titans, Ed, Edd &amp; Eddy and a ton of other shows those were just my four favorites growing up. When I got a bit older I grew to love Avatar The Last Airbender but I wasn’t a huge Nickelodeon person growing up.” I reasoned since the only time I watched the channel was when they were airing reruns of Hey Arnold.</p><p class="p1">“You were a Dragon Tales girl? That’s so cute!! I’m not at all surprised by that notion since you probably wanted to be in the show when you were younger.” I smiled softly showing him a picture of Harold who flew above my head sitting in front of me with his eyes closed in his meditating position.</p><p class="p1">“I didn’t really want to be in it per se but I did make my own dragon character. His name is Harold I made him when I was in kindergarten.” Calvin gaped at the picture that I was holding in front of him.</p><p class="p1">“That is so amazing!! Are you sure that you don’t want to be an artist, I mean you’re like crazy good at it.” I laughed a little bit taking my sketchbook back and closing it before putting it into my backpack.</p><p class="p1">“I’m sure, I’m also really into technology. I love building gadgets and things like that, I always help my brother dominate his science fair projects. He comes up with the idea I just help him build the thing like any parent would do. He’s turning six this summer so he hasn’t done very many but his next one he wants to build a radio with me. That’s what I want to do with my life is go into engineering and technology.” I explained to him and he turned towards me a look of shock and awe on his face.</p><p class="p1">“That’s so cool oh my god, don’t you have to be really good at math in order to do that though?” He asked me and I nodded my head showing him my last math test that we had done a few days ago.</p><p class="p1">“I’ve always been good at math. I used to be in resource for it when I was younger but they learned pretty quickly that once I got the basics I could excel rather easily at it.” I didn’t like to brag about how good I was at math or at solving puzzles.</p><p class="p1">“I’m barely good at regular math as it is but that looks like algebra as in the hardcore stuff.” I laughed a little bit rubbing the back of my neck.</p><p class="p1">“I’m in an advanced math class that’s why…” I trailed off and he just blinked very slowly at me as if trying to comprehend what I just told him.</p><p class="p1">“So you’re like some crazy out of control smartie?” I laughed a little bit rubbing the back of my neck and tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.</p><p class="p1">“I wouldn’t really say that I’m just your normal average smart person I guess. I wouldn’t even consider myself all that smart. I’m mostly just a huge nerd.” I sighed a little bit and Calvin just shook his head at me with a small smile on his face.</p><p class="p1">“Whoever said that being a huge nerd was a bad thing? I’m a huge nerd too!! It’s not a big deal to be a nerd. Embrace the nerd!!” He encouraged and I laughed a little bit calming down from the nervous high that I had found myself in.</p><p class="p1">“I think I’ve finally figured you out you’re a goofball…” I muttered mostly to myself but seeing him laugh at me reminded me that I had indeed said that aloud.</p><p class="p1">“I will take that as a complement so thank you.” I rolled my eyes at him with a small smile on my face as I wrote down another thing that I loved about the series.</p><p class="p1">“So it’s basically just why we love a certain book? He’s asking us to ramble?” Calvin nodded his head with a bright smile.</p><p class="p1">“Hyper fixation time here we go!!” He cheered and I laughed a little bit when he scooted his chair closer to mine so that he could see my notebook.</p><p class="p1">“You have those too?” Calvin nodded his head pushing his glasses up his nose but he put down his notebook. I could see that he already had some of my favorite quotes written down there in a lot nicer handwriting.</p><p class="p1">“I apologize in advance my handwriting sucks…” I trailed off and he just shook his head at me with a small smile.</p><p class="p1">“No problem don’t even worry about it!! What are your favorite quotes from the book?” He asked me and I flipped to the page where I had dog eared the book when I was little.</p><p class="p1"><em>“But the dragons” said Arren. “Do they not do great evil? Are they innocent? The dragons! The dragons are avaricious, insatiable, treacherous; without pity, without remorse. But are they evil? Who am I to judge the acts of dragons?… They are wiser than men are. It is with them as with dreams Arren. We men dream dreams, we work magic, we do good, we do evil. The dragons do not dream. They are dreams. They do not work magic: it is their substance, their being. They do not do; they are.” </em>I read the dialogue that I had read by myself so many times using my hands to help my talk animatedly.</p><p class="p1">“You read that amazingly well!! I could tell how passionate you are about that scene and it’s one of my personal favorites as well.” He tapped his notebook where he had written Ged’s talk about dragons there.</p><p class="p1">“Sorry if it was too loud…” I apologized just now noticing that everyone in the classroom was staring at me in surprised awe.</p><p class="p1">“No worries Elise!! That was stunning, have you ever thought about acting? I think that you would do really well with it.” Mr. Murano praised me and I just laughed a little bit rubbing the back of my neck.</p><p class="p1">“I have sir but I just don’t really know how to get there…” I mentioned to him and Calvin just bumped my shoulder with his.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll help you then!! Alright, what was the first song that you taught yourself how to play on the piano?” Calvin asked me and I looked down at my lap for a split second a little bit embarrassed about this.</p><p class="p1">“It was Into The Unknown from one of my favorite shows of all time Over The Garden Wall when I was eight. I stayed up super late to watch all of the episodes. It was so good!! I watch it every year on the night before Halloween since I own all the episodes.” I played with the ends of my hair as his eyes widened in surprise.</p><p class="p1">“I love that show!! I totally know what you’re talking about it’s so weird but at the same time there is nothing else like it in the entire world. <em>How the gentle wind beckons through the leaves…” </em>He sang and I looked over at him in sheer surprise and shock. I had never met anybody that knew that cartoon since it was a mini series that only ran for five nights on Cartoon Network.</p><p class="p1">“Kid, he’s just as crazy as you are I don’t know if it’s such a good idea to continue to talk with this guy-" Bernie kicked him in the side as I was still staring at Calvin in sheer awe since that was one of my other favorite songs that I listened to on the soundtrack whenever I listened to it.</p><p class="p1">“You’re probably right we would have been best friends in elementary school. I watched them when they first aired on CN when I was gah that was six years ago so I was eight. My mom was pregnant with my younger twin siblings at the time.” I remised about the first time that I had watched one of my favorite fall traditions.</p><p class="p1">“That’s right!! It aired over the course of five nights I didn’t miss any of them either. I was too excited to watch the episodes everyday. I wish that CN did more things like Over the Garden Wall and less Teen Titans Go.” I let out a puff of air rolling my eyes at the sheer idiocy that my favorite crime fighters when I was younger.</p><p class="p1"><br/>“Don’t even get me started on that show, it’s so bad. I’ve banned my younger siblings from watching it. If they want to watch Teen Titans we binge watch the original. I don’t want them to lose braincells over that show.” I joked and my friend laughed a little bit at me as the bell tragically rang above our head.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll see you tomorrow?” He offered and I nodded my head since that was my last class of the day.</p><p class="p1">“I sure hope that you know what you’re doing with that guy kid.” Peyton mentioned and I lightly thwacked him on the back of the head with my thumb and forefinger.</p><p class="p1">“He is going to be my friend you grumpy penguin. I happen to think that he would make a great first friend of mine. Nobody has ever seen Over The Garden Wall that I’ve met and believe me I’ve looked. I think that he’s a genuinely nice and caring person and I don’t see why you are making such a big fuss about all of this other than the fact that you can be a protective dad when you wanna be.” I stuck my tongue out at him putting my over the ear headphones on and letting the silence come back to me as I put on Patient Is The Night.</p><p class="p1">“I’m just saying to be careful kid because I don’t know the guy just seems super duper shady if you’re asking me…” I heard Bernie mutter something about him just being jealous as I slipped my headphones down to my neck.</p><p class="p1">“Look you two stop bickering please I’ve had enough for one day. Please and thank you.” Bernie’s ears went droopy for a second as he peaked his head out of my hoodie pocket and I scratched between them.</p><p class="p1">“I’m sorry I’m usually kinda cranky at the end of the day but I just need some time to myself for a little while.” I apologized and Bernie just hit his foot gently against my side and I laughed a little bit at him.</p><p class="p1">“Sorry kid…” Peyton trailed off and I kissed him on the forehead gently as I opened the door to my house and sighed against the front door.</p><p class="p1">“I’m back!!” I called into the house and heard the taping of my dad’s hands across his keyboard from his open office door.</p><p class="p1">“Hi sweetie!! How was your day today, any better than yesterday?” He asked me and I sat down gently on his couch while Harold went downstairs and came back with a cup of juice from the fridge.</p><p class="p1">“It was a lot better than yesterday I think I made my first official friend dad.” He turned to me with a surprised but proud expression.</p><p class="p1">“See what did I tell you!! I knew that my little girl could do it!!” He cheered and I smiled softly at him.</p><p class="p1">“His name is Calvin and he’s my new desk neighbor in Mr. Murano’s class. He loves dragons too!! And fantasy novels, Over The Garden Wall, the original Teen Titans all kinds of the same things that I grew up with.” He sat down next to me as I took the first sip of my revival fluid that brought me back.</p><p class="p1">“That’s so great sweetheart!! I’m so happy for you for making your first official friend. Not that you didn’t have friends growing up. I know that your mother will want to hear about this Calvin character. What does he look like?” He asked me and Peyton half heartedly glared at my dad and I couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit.</p><p class="p1">“He has tan skin, shiny brown eyes, perfect hair, an adorable laugh. Probably dresses way nicer than one should for a high school environment.” My dad laughed a little bit at me and I leaned against his shoulder.</p><p class="p1">“Do you happen to have a crush on this Calvin kid?” I blushed lightly shoving at his shoulder and shaking my head animately.</p><p class="p1">“No way dad!! Why would you even ask me that question?” He shook his head at me muttering something that sounded akin to ah youth.</p><p class="p1">“No reason sweetheart. Your mother is getting the terrors right now your brother got sent to the office again.” I sighed a little bit running a hand through the end of my hair with a sad smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“Who was picking on Nicola this time?” My dad sighed a little bit his shoulders slumping and looked down at the carpet.</p><p class="p1">“Sometimes I think that there is too much of me in him.I would fight anybody for you kids or your mother and have in the past. I’m an overprotective and often possessive kind of person I’ve always been that way and yet your mom decided that I would make a good parent. But sometimes I wonder…” He trailed off and I saw Peyton look up at him since that was basically what he had told me earlier.</p><p class="p1">“I love you dad. I know that you are immensely protective over all of us but we love you because of it. Nat is just a little boy he doesn’t yet know how to control his rage. He’ll get better with it as he gets older just give him a little bot of time. I would just give him a few more years. He’s really protective over Nicola and that just makes him a good older brother. True his temper winds him to get into the principals office more than we as his family would like but that just means that he’s a good brother since we know who he’s protecting. I’ll talk to him once he gets back home. Do you think that they are finally old enough for Over The Garden Wall this year? I really want to do a family costume my last year of trick or treating…” My dad laughed a little bit at my change of subject.</p><p class="p1">“You might have to finally get your haircut but other than that I can definitely see you being Wirt. You’re both great older siblings, I think he helped you learn what to do with them. I do think that they are finally old enough for that to be added to the Halloween library. I was worried at first because they are so little but you were only three years older than them when the show was first airing.” I laughed a little bit since while that was true I was a very weird and strange kid at their age.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll have to see if they’re alright with it first but I think that they’ll be fine. I mean they watch Nightmare Before Christmas every year and that’s just as spooky.” I joked and my dad quirked an eyebrow up at me.</p><p class="p1">“But the Beast Elise my darling…” He protested and I waved my hand with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“You barely even see him dad they’ll be fine and if they aren’t their big sister will protect them.” I promised giving him a thumbs up and I heard the front door swing open only for Nat’s bedroom to slam shut.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll try and talk to him…” I trailed off and Peyton waddled next to me while Bernie bounced anxiously in my hoodie pocket. I went to my brother’s door and did the shave and a haircut above it.</p><p class="p1">“Go away…” He protested weakly but I was never known for taking no for an answer and forced myself into it anyways.</p><p class="p1">“Not going to happen little bro. You want to tell me why you got sent to the office earlier.” I sat down on his carpet floor and he covered his face with a pillow.</p><p class="p1">“It wasn’t even my fault this time!! Other kids were fighting and I was trying to break it up and I got in trouble because of it. They framed me, they were Nic’s bullies and even though I hate their rotten guts for picking on my sister I still get really defensive whenever they fight.” He argued and I smiled softly at my baby brother.</p><p class="p1">“Look little bro sometimes things happen that are out of our control. I am proud of you for doing the right thing. I am also sorry that you got framed. It sounds like you had a really bad day and I’m sorry that you dealt with that. Maybe tomorrow I’ll pick you kids up from school and talk to your teacher about it.” I encouraged him and I heard the small sniffle that came from him I carefully tried to maneuver myself onto his bed as he launched himself towards my side.</p><p class="p1">“It’s alright Nathanial you’ll be alright little bro….” I comforted him and he cried a little bit harder into my side.</p><p class="p1">“I try so hard sis, why do I get so protective over Nic all the time? It only ever winds up with me getting into trouble…” He trailed off and my heart broke for my little brother who had only tried to do his best.</p><p class="p1">“Sometimes we get protective over the people that we love in our lives. It’s really hard to explain because we don’t understand it ourselves. It’s hard to understand people’s emotions but possessiveness and jealousy I think I’m starting to understand. It’s this need to protect the other person. Like they have a shining sign above them that says protect the baby. So when people hurt the person that you love you just black out and you can’t control your emotions anymore. You just black out and you can’t control your actions. Is that what happens to you?” My brother nodded his head against my shoulder.</p><p class="p1">“It’s just like I’m overtaken by anger… mom says that the same thing happens to dad when he gets really mad…” I nodded my head since I still remembered his anger against the parents of the kids that used to bully me back when I was younger.</p><p class="p1">“That’s true he does and you probably got his protective instincts as well. I’m just sorry that you got framed for something that you didn’t do. Do you want for me to leave you alone?” I heard him shake his head against my shoulder.</p><p class="p1">“No please stay…. Can you play me something?” He asked me and I nodded my head but stood up.</p><p class="p1">“If you want me to play something than I’ll need to go and get it. My clarinet is upstairs.” I reminded him and he nodded as I went up the stairs to my bedroom.</p><p class="p1">“We’ll just stay up here kid you spend some time with your brother.” I smiled softly at Peyton as I grabbed my case and carried it back to my brother’s door.</p><p class="p1">“Do you have any requests?” I asked him and I saw him shake his head as I curled my legs across his bed.</p><p class="p1">“Alright I’ve been thinking about this song for most of the day…” I grabbed my alto clarinet and set it up so that I could play Over The Garden Wall. My brother looked at me in sheer surprise and awe like he always did when I played these things.</p><p class="p1">“Sis, you’re so good at playing that!! I love your music so much, you really should think about joining up with band.” He cheered and I looked down at my shorts that I had put on over the leggings earlier today.</p><p class="p1">“Hey little bro, can I ask you something?” He nodded his head with a bright smile on his face and I put my clarinet back in it’s case.</p><p class="p1">“Of course you can sissy!!” He encouraged and I leaned my head back against the bed that he was sitting on.</p><p class="p1">“I made my first friend today, he’s a boy. A bit of a goofball his name is Calvin. He’s my new desk neighbor in my English class he’s so nice to me. He loves dragons, musical theater, cartoons that I was really passionate about when I was a bit older than you.” I played with the ends of my hair and a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“Well he sounds great!! What did you want to ask me?” My brother blinked innocently at me and I laughed at him.</p><p class="p1">“I wanted to ask about what you would think if I eventually were to one day get a boyfriend?” I asked him and he looked up at me with a bright smile on his face.</p><p class="p1">“Well it depends on if the boy is good for you or not!! Did he say something to you?” I shook my head with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“No he didn’t it’s just something that I can’t help thinking about.” My brother laughed a little bit kicking my foot with his.</p><p class="p1">“Are you suuuuree?” He asked me drawing out the last word and I ruffled his blonde hair laughing at him.</p><p class="p1">“Yes I’m sure little jerk he didn’t say anything that would elude to other than friendship.” My brother leaned against my shoulder with a small smile on his face.<br/>“If you like him sissy the way that mom likes dad than I don’t see what the problem is.” He mentioned to me and I felt my cheeks flame a bright pink color<br/><br/>“Can we please for the love of everything holy change the subject?” I begged my brother and he tossed me one of his gaming controllers.</p><p class="p1">“Bet you can’t beat me at Mario Kart.” I laughed at my younger brother because that was the game that no matter what resorted in all out warfare between us.</p><p class="p1">“You are so on, person who comes in second is the last one to get a nightly dessert.” I threatened half heartedly and he just laughed at me grabbing his own controller. I won the first round and my mom came into his bedroom.</p><p class="p1">“Nathaniel you know what you have to do right? Unless you tell me why you wound up in the office today you don’t get to play your games. Get your homework done.” She left his door open a crack.</p><p class="p1">“You didn’t tell her why you were you were in the office?” I asked my brother and he sighed a little bit running a hand through his hair.</p><p class="p1">“Figured that she wouldn’t believe me because I’ve gotten in so much trouble these last few years.” He shrugged and I got up off of his bed grabbing my clarinet case and going into my mom’s office.<br/>“</p><p class="p1">Oh hi sweetie, sorry bad day for me. I had to get your brother from the office again…” She trailed off running a hand through her hair.</p><p class="p1">“Just let him come to you when he’s ready. This time it wasn’t his fault. He was trying to break up the fight but got caught in the crossfire and then got blamed.” I told her going up the stairs to the attic. I opened my bedroom door more than prepared to get some homework done. I figured that dinner tonight would be more than a little bit awkward. I heard my dad’s footsteps coming up the stairs carrying a plate and a brownie that I made over the weekend.</p><p class="p1">“It’s have dinner in your own room night it seems like because your mother and Nic still aren’t speaking.” He told me and I sighed a little bit seeing that he had made burgers tonight and I had a pile of chips next to it.</p><p class="p1">“Thanks dad sorry for all the chaos.” I apologized and he just smiled at me and kissed my forehead as I closed my biology book that I was rereading.</p><p class="p1">“It’s no problem sweetheart, I’ll let you relax now that all your homework is done.” He exited my bedroom as Peyton hoped up onto my lap.</p><p class="p1">“Are you finally done with your homework kid?” I nodded my head with a small smile on my face as I took everything over to my bed as I pressed the button that would allow for me to watch my television.</p><p class="p1">“I am indeed which it’s means that it’s time to relax!! Finally at long last, biology is nonsensical. I might need to ask my teacher for extra help or something for the first test coming up…” I sighed and Peyton blinked a little bit at me.</p><p class="p1">“I would rather you just asked me for help kid if that’s what you really need. I thought that you were good at science.” I rolled my eyes because I was normally good at science and I handed the remote to Bernie as he found my copy of Hey Arnold.</p><p class="p1">“I am good at science!! It’s just I’m not good at biology. Physics, astronomy yes the history of animals and how they work gets too jumbled and confused in my brain.” I whined and the hotheaded penguin just hopped down from my bed and waddled over to my desk chair.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll get him.” Harold flew over picking Peyton up and putting him on my desk and Peyton grumbled about behind short and stout.</p><p class="p1">“You’re a penguin I wanted you to be short. And hey I’m short too, short gang!!” I cheered half heartedly as I saw the familiar atmosphere of my favorite childhood cartoon.</p><p class="p1">“Yeah, yeah I still don’t see the point…” He protested and I laughed at him throwing a chip into my mouth.</p><p class="p1">“I think the smallness is cute!!” Bernie encouraged and Peyton glared at the bunny as he scooted closer to my side. I had missed these moments of watching this show when I was growing up imagining watching it with Harold and Bernie. Except now they were real and able to watch it with me and that’s how I fell asleep against Harold and he tucked me in. I woke up to the sound of my alarm and I stretched before getting out of bed and picking out my draggin myself out of bed tee shirt, shorts and tights for the day. I brushed out my hair putting my flame clip on the side of my hair with a small smile.</p><p class="p1">“Good morning sunshine!! Ready to attack this day?” My old friend made jabbing motions at the air combined with little air kicks.</p><p class="p1">“I am actually!! I’m really excited for the day-Peyton were you up all night trying to read that book?!” I asked him as I saw the grumpy penguin half asleep and I hugged the penguin tightly in my arms.</p><p class="p1">“Alright come on grumpy man it’s time to start the day you can sleep in my backpack.” I put him into my backpacks he protested a little bit. I yawned and I smiled softly at my best friend zipping him up. I put my backpack around my shoulders and I went down the stairs to my kitchen and I grabbed an apple slicing it for the morning. I grabbed an English muffin as well and went down the stairs to the front door and left. I ate my breakfast on my walk to school and Bernie gave me pleading eyes as I gave him a slice of my apple. I put my headphones on once I got inside and took Peyton out of my bag.</p><p class="p1">“Kid?” He asked me sleepily and I laughed a little bit at my best friend as he glared halfheartedly at the bright lights.</p><p class="p1">“Just for a little bit then you can go back to sleep. Just I’m going to put my headphones on and tell me if anybody is coming near me alright?” He nodded his head sleepily as I put on Over the Garden Wall. I put my headphones and closed me eyes. It was almost like all the other people around me had faded away. I could just be in this environment and not need to talk to anybody. I didn’t hear anything and Peyton fell asleep in my arms so I carefully zipped him back up in my backpack as I made my way to Stins’s history class for my morning.</p><p class="p1">“Good morning Elise!!” My favorite eccentric teacher exclaimed as I took my seat next to his desk</p><p class="p1">“Hi Stins, how are you on this fine Thursday morning?” I asked him and he leaned back in his chair a little bit.</p><p class="p1">“I’m doing alright tomorrow is Friday! Are you doing anything fun this weekend?” I shook my head because other than unwinding and possibly giving my sketchbook to my sister that was the only thing that I had planned out.</p><p class="p1">“Nothing really that special. I’m mostly just looking forward to hopefully no homework. I would like to watch some cartoons and spend some time with my younger siblings.” I smiled softly at the kindhearted teacher that had brought me so much joy. Calvin came through the door looking really sad. Did something happen to him? I would have to ask him during English.</p><p class="p1">“Hey Cal you alright there?” Stins asked him sitting in front of the usually happy popular boy and he just nodded.</p><p class="p1">“Yeah fine Stins, just didn’t get enough sleep last night. Stayed up most of the night studying for a biology test today.” He shrugged off what I could see was a lie because we had the same bio class and our test wasn’t until next week that’s why I had been cramming.</p><p class="p1">“Who do you have Phillips?” I saw the cute boy nod his head and Stins came back to my desk and tap at it.</p><p class="p1">“Doesn’t he have his tests the last week of every other month?” I nodded my head with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“He must really want to do well on that test then. What about yourself smartie, are you studying for it?” I laughed a little bit rubbing the back of my neck. I kicked my feet back and forth gently trying to calm myself down.</p><p class="p1">“Trying to study, it’s nonsensical to me. I love science and I can’t understand it to save my life. I’m more of the techie type of person who makes things and inventions.” My teacher laughed a little bit at me.</p><p class="p1">“Just do the best you can really that’s all you can do Elise.” He encouraged as the rest of the class slowly filled into the room and took their seats.</p><p class="p1">“Alright guys, good morning on this fine Thursday. We’re one day from Friday we can do this team!!” He cheered and I joined him since his enthusiasm was infectious and Bernie crawled out of my pocket.</p><p class="p1">“What we’re going to do today is go over the worksheet that I gave you on Tuesday and you’ve had plenty of time to do in class. Elise you’ve got the first answer.” He called on me who had my hand up.</p><p class="p1">“The palace of Versailles sir.” He cheered for me excitedly writing it down on the board underneath the first answer.</p><p class="p1">“You’re very much correct!! Great job Elise.” He encouraged moving onto the next person and I noticed that Calvin didn’t raise his hand to answer one question before the end of the class. He didn’t raise his hand all day. He was usually one that knew the answer to just about every question in all the classes that I had with him, four out of five. The only class that I didn’t have with him was my advanced math class. Before I knew it the end of the day had already came and I was opening my backpack up and seeing Peyton looking a lot more rested.</p><p class="p1">“Did you take me out just so that I would have to watch you flirt with that jerk?” I flicked the back of his head gently.</p><p class="p1">“He is not a jerk and there is something up with him. I’m going to find out what.” I opened the door to my English class seeing Mr. Murano at the front of the class with Clavin sitting facing away from me.</p><p class="p1">“Are you feeling alright Calvin?” I asked him nervously and I saw his eyes look up at me with a sad aura there.</p><p class="p1">“Oh sure now you notice me. Where was that this morning?” I blinked a little bit confused and Peyton looked a little bit too smug. I glared down at the petulant penguin reminding myself to lecture him later.</p><p class="p1">“I didn’t want to tell you this because I was worried that you would think of me differently. I wasn’t ignoring you on purpose or anything like that. I’m not that kind of person. See I have aspergers. I’m not ashamed of it or anything. It’s just that well you’re the first person to ever try to talk to me. Most people just say that I’m a freak and ignore me…” I trailed off and Calvin looked up at me as the information that I just gave to him settled in.</p><p class="p1">“So you weren’t being mean to me on purpose?” I shook my head getting out my headphones and handing them to the theater boy next to me.<br/>“Try these, I was wearing them this morning.” I instructed him and his eyes widened in shock and a sudden understanding.</p><p class="p1">“You couldn’t hear me because the cafeteria is too loud of you and you don’t like loud crowded areas…” I nodded my head as he got out his phone and typed something onto it giving me back my headphones.</p><p class="p1">“What’s it like for you?” He asked me and I spun around in shock my hair going every which way.</p><p class="p1">“Nobody’s ever asked me that before… It’s kind of like there is this castle, I’m on on the inside and everybody else but my family is on the outside. And the castle is guarded by a fire-breathing dragon so nobody ever really wants to come in and see me ever. I’ve always been on the outside just observing other people. Nobody has ever wanted to be my friend…” I trailed off and Calvin looked at me with a small smile, the first that I had seen him make all day.</p><p class="p1">“Until me right?” I blinked in confusion. Did this boy actually just acknowledge that he was my friend? Only one thing stuck in my mind…</p><p class="p1">“Why would you want to be friends with me? I mean you have so many so why would you want to talk to me at all…” I played with my index fingers pressing them together gently to try and calm down from the nervous buzz of energy that was coming from me.</p><p class="p1">“Well because I think you're cute!! And you’re friendly, love musical theater and fantasy stuff. Plus I love your smile of course.” My hearted flipped in my chest and a bright red color smattered across my cheeks.</p><p class="p1">“I would like to be your friend too…” I smiled shyly at the overly enthusiastic boy next to me finding myself pulled into his orbit.</p><p class="p1">“Well then it's settled we’re friends now!! Where do you eat lunch Elise?” He asked me and I looked down at my desk a little bit awkwardly.</p><p class="p1">“I usually eat it in Stins’s classroom since it’s quiet in there and nobody bothers me. He leaves it unlocked so that I can easily get inside. The cafeteria is too loud for me to eat lunch in there and he saw me eating in the hallway a few months ago.” Calvin looked at me with a surprised expression on his face.</p><p class="p1">“You don’t have anybody that wants to eat lunch with you? Not even an acquaintance?” I shook my head with a sad smile on my face.<br/>“Not a one single person. It’s fine though it’s nothing that I’m not used to. Sometimes it gets a bit lonely but it’s nothing that I’m not accustomed to dealing with. You always have a whole heard of people eating lunch with you.” I tried to joke and he just laughed a little bit grabbing his notebook.</p><p class="p1">“Well yes, people like me. I’m kind and I’m friendly towards them. I’ve always been a people person. It’s hard for me to admit it but loneliness scares me a lot. Probably more than getting a bad grade. It’s why I work so hard.” I moved a lock of blonde hair behind my ear playing with the blonde hair there.</p><p class="p1">“I work hard too. I feel a lot of pressure due to grades because I’m the eldest child in my family so I feel this desire and this need to be perfect. I have to set the best example for my younger siblings otherwise I don’t feel good about myself.” I mentioned and Calvin turned his gaze towards me with a surprised gaze.</p><p class="p1">“I’m the only son in a latino based family. There’s a lot of pressure on me too because I have to get good grades and go to a good college. My parents opened a panadería and pastelería it’s basically a Mexican bakery with no college experience so I’m going to be a first generation college student. My parents and I argue all the time about it because they want me to inherit the bakery and I want to do theater.” I felt this wash of empathy come over me for my new friend. He wanted to be a good son and be the best person that he could but at the same time he also wanted to do what he enjoyed and thought was fun.</p><p class="p1">“I think I’ve seen your families panadería before!! It’s on first street right? It’s got the super cute sign?” He nodded his head running a hand through his hair. Bernie hopped out of my pocket and onto my desk.</p><p class="p1">“They wanted to make it a Kiki themed design but that’s also copyrighted so they just made their own witch. My younger sister is an artist and she’s the one who makes all of our sugar cookies. I help with the bread mostly right now but I’m moving my way up in the world to cookies and getting better at fondant.” I smiled over at him listening to him talk about baking since it was something that he was so passionate about.</p><p class="p1">“I love Kiki’s Delivery Service!! That’s one of my all time favorite movies.” My new friend laughed at me as the bell rang above our heads.</p><p class="p1">“Good afternoon my favorite fantasy readers!! Let’s get cracking on those group projects.” Mr. Murano cheered and I saw Calvin scoot his chair a little bit closer to me.</p><p class="p1">“Is there anything else about the books that you want to discuss for the group project?” He asked me and I looked over at his notes and my own.</p><p class="p1">“I really just want to talk about what Le Guin did for people who love fantasy. I think that it’s such an incredible thing that she brought to life. Reading fantasy changed everything for me because in this world dragons could exist and that was so much better than being lonely.” Calvin nodded his head in understanding writing down the idea in his notebook.</p><p class="p1">“How long have you been lonely at school?” I hung my head a little bit rubbing at my armsawkwardly and Bernie sat on my lap. I scratched between his ears gently and he thumped against my leg.</p><p class="p1">“Probably since second grade. It’s not that I didn’t try to make friends and fit in just that it didn’t last long or it simply didn’t work. I tried to be the kind of person that was friendly with everybody. It’s just that eventually people decided that they didn’t want to be friendly back with me. I had a birthday party when I was seven, invited the entire class. Day of the birthday came and nobody bothered to show up. That Monday was the first time that somebody ever called me a freak and the nickname stuck.” I told him my story about why I was so dicey around new people and he just looked up at me sympathy and understanding written all over his face.</p><p class="p1">“The party was themed to dragons wasn’t it? If we had been friends back then I would have totally gone!! Dragons are super awesome, I saw you drawing your own yesterday. Did you make him when you were a kid?” I nodded my head with a small smile looking up and seeing Harold filing down his claws.</p><p class="p1">“I made him for an art competition in kindergarten. Back then people thought that it was really awesome. I was just too socially awkward to talk to them. I still am which is why I was so surprised that you wanted to be my friend at all.” I mentioned and he just laughed a little bit at me lightly kicking my foot with his.</p><p class="p1">“Well let’s just be socially awkward together, what do you say?” I nodded my head with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“What was your favorite cartoon character growing up?” He asked me and I felt my eyes light up with a brighter smile.</p><p class="p1">“I really, really loved old school Teen Titans. I probably mentioned that yesterday but I never missed an episode of it when I was really little. My favorite was Beast Boy which probably says a lot because I’m always one for the goofballs now that I’m older. But I just loved his genuinely pure personality and his jokes. He was super cute when I was younger and I just loved his general optimism. Even if he wasn’t the smartest or the strongest of the team he was always the most fun for me. My favorite episode is The Beast Within.” I talked animatedly about my favorite childhood character and still to this day one of the biggest comfort characters that I had.</p><p class="p1">“Yes!! He was my favorite on the original show as well, aside from Cyborg I was always more for their dynamic. Their friendship was one of my favorite things about the original show. Were you a BB\Rae or BB\Terra person growing up? Personally I was BB\Rae all the way.” I let out a visible shudder remembering the annoyance and utter hatred that I felt for Terra when I was five and she made Beast Boy cry.</p><p class="p1">“Definitely a BB\Rae kinda girl growing up. I loved their friendship and thought that they had a way better couple dynamic than BB\Terra. I hated her after she made my favorite character cry. I just wanted to give him a hug and tell him that he deserved better. What about yourself? Who was your biggest comfort character?” I asked him and he laughed a little bit rubbing the back of his neck.</p><p class="p1">“I love Tigger from the Winnie The Pooh franchise…” I cheered happily with a bright smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“That is so valid!! I loved him too growing up.” Mr. Murano smiled at the two of us and came over to our table.</p><p class="p1">“While I am happy that you two are getting along so well let’s stick to the topic at hand if you please. What book are you both doing?” He asked us pulling up a chair so that he could check up on our handwork.</p><p class="p1">“We decided on doing The Farthest Shore!!” Calvin told him with a bright smile and Mr. Murano nodded his head.</p><p class="p1">“An excellent choice to be sure, I remember when those books were coming out and I would rush to my local bookstore to buy them. They were amazing and I always looked forward to the next one. I still say that nobody builds a fantasy world like Le Guin. Can I see your copy really quickly Elise?” I nodded my head handing him my battered and bruised copy of the book and he flipped to the first page seeing her signature.</p><p class="p1">“You got this signed by her?!” I laughed a little bit awkwardly nodding my head. Bernie gave me a thumbs up from my lap in encouragement.</p><p class="p1">“It’s my most prized possession it goes everywhere with me. My parents call it my comfort blanket. I met her when I was six and it changed everything. Back then I still wanted to be an artist but having her encouragement meant the world to me. I still love to draw dragons especially but it’s a pipe dream that I gave up on.” I explained to my English teacher and he handed the book back to me.</p><p class="p1">“Well both of you are sure to make a great team and an even better report.” He encouraged and I took my book back.</p><p class="p1">“I’m really proud of you kid. I know that I’ve been more than a little bit grumpy about this whole making a new friend business but you seem happier than you have in a while. If this popular kid is the way to making you happy than who am I to stop you.” Peyton argued and I smiled down at my penguin.</p><p class="p1">“Thanks Pey, I’m fine. I promise things are finally looking up in the world for me. And you know what? I’m feeling better already.” I told him my face brightening with a too wide smile. Yesterday afternoon I was terrified of what this new seating arrangement and group project could mean for me. Today I had my first ever real friend.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi guys!! I know second chapter in under a week I'm amazing. These chapters are going to be relatively easy for me to write since the episodes I'm keeping to 22 pages maximum. Again special thanks to my three best friends on tumblr who are helping to make these a reality crustydonuts my amazing artist friend, 2oppositesidesof1coin and saihahas</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Joining the drama club?!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">I tapped the shoe of my ballet flat on the ground nervously. This was either going to go very well for me or very badly. I knew that Calvin would be in there but at the same time I was still so nervous. Outside of English class we hadn’t really gotten the chance to talk a lot. I had worn my comfort cosplay today. My mom had helped me get it for my Halloween costume last year. It was a representation of a female version of one of my favorite Dreamwork's hand drawn characters Miguel from Road To El Dorado. It was also one of the most constructive but I wore it on my days when I felt the least like myself. Despite the fact that I looked so much like Miguel I was a lot more of the practical type. I had already been here earlier today for my dancing in musical theater class first period. Mrs. Green always made sure that I was welcome and that this could be a safe place for anybody who needed one inside of school.</p><p class="p1">“Kid? You gonna be okay? You don’t have to do this if it makes you that nervous.” Peyton reminded me and I nodded my head with a bit of an anxious smile.</p><p class="p1">“I’m alright, I’m fine Pey I’m just suddenly really nervous but I’ll be alright. I wore this outfit for a good reason.” I reminded myself since it was my main comfort outfit for the times when I felt the most nervous about something. I was considering wearing it again next week for me and Calvin’s group project.</p><p class="p1">“Alright sunshine let’s get you hyped you got this!!” I cheered with my best friend so that I could get myself all ready.</p><p class="p1">“You got this sweetheart, I believe in you!!” Bernie encouraged me from his pocket in my skirt and I scratched gently at his ears.</p><p class="p1">“Okay I can do this…” I trailed off opening the door with a nervous glance around. In the front of the room there was a massive box of props for anything and everything that one could ever need for a standard theater production.</p><p class="p1">“Elise!! What can I do for my favorite dance student? Do you have a question about the material?” Mrs. Green explained to me gesturing to the various people that were around her black box classroom.</p><p class="p1">“I was umm… I was umm…” I took a couple of deep breaths and she waited patiently for me to gather my thoughts.</p><p class="p1">“I was wondering you still had spots for the drama club so that I might be able to sign up.” I said really quickly and she just laughed at me genuinely.</p><p class="p1">“Oh sweet pea of course you can still join up!! My drama club is always open to new members. We’re just having fun for right now but I plan on introducing the fall production to them tomorrow afternoon. I would like for you to have a partner… I think I know just the boy!!” She exclaimed putting her fist on top of her hand.</p><p class="p1">“CALVIN GARCIA GET YOUR CUTE BUTT OVER HERE!!” She yelled and I heard a frantic sound of feet skidding to a stop in front of me. Calvin’s hair was still perfectly styled and his outfit for the day looked like what Tulio’s clothes would look like in a modern au.</p><p class="p1">“Ma’am yes ma’am!!” He saluted in front of her in a joking way and I saw her lips turn up into a slight smirk.</p><p class="p1">“Since you are my designated leading actor I would like to see what the chemistry between both of you are like because you will need a leading lady.” She instructed him and Calvin smiled brightly at me. Did she just say leading lady?! Alright just calm down, she didn’t say it officially she just wanted to give me a try on and see if the slipper fit the shoe.</p><p class="p1">“Hi Elise!! I’m so glad that you could make it, come on let’s talk shop.” He told me taking my hand and I instantly felt the same warmth, home and comfort that I felt whenever it accidentally brushed mine.</p><p class="p1">“I’m proud of you for coming. I know that must have taken a lot of guts for you to actually go through with it. I remember when I joined middle school theater hoo boy was I a nervous wreck.” He let out a nervous laugh and I glanced over at him a little bit. I couldn’t help but see the Tulio characteristics in his personality. Even though I didn’t know him very well I knew that the familial pressure gave him a lot of anxiety about being perfect and to never mess up.</p><p class="p1">“I really like your outfit by the way today, it’s very different from what you would usually wear. Is there a certain meaning behind it?” I laughed a little bit showing him my usual non magic sketchbook and flipping through the pages.</p><p class="p1">“There is actually. See when I was younger I would get sick all the time. It was just your usual junk like ear infections and migraines but my parents had to keep me home whenever I was too sick to go to school. One of my favorite movies to watch that always made me feel better with my mom while she worked on her computer was The Road To El Dorado. I always related to Miguel which might sound strange because I do have anxiety. But I’ve always related his free spirit, his openness, his artistic ability, his musicality, his general will to accept things as they are and his optimistic personality. My mom last year helped me get all the things that would make a female version of the character.” I explained to him showing all the different facial expressions of the character that I had drawn. He was one of my favorites to just sketch because his face had the ability to be so expressive.</p><p class="p1">“You know, I can totally see that. You draw him really amazingly well. I was always more of the Tulio type growing up. It’s funny that you mentioned dressing up as your favorite because this outfit was loosely inspired by him. It’s how he would look in a modern universe.” He gestured to the blue button down, brown vest and skinny jeans that he was wearing.</p><p class="p1">“I thought that’s what you were doing and I got super excited!! I’ve always loved their relationship, even if low key I always wanted the original draft where they were a couple.” Calvin snapped his fingers together with wide eyes as if I had just changed his entire childhood.</p><p class="p1">“That’s actually really cool, I can see why they changed their minds eventually because it was the year 200 not really the best year to have a gay pairing as your center love story for a big budget company. I’m straight but understanding of all the sexualities they are all valid and deserve to have proper talked about representation.” I reached for my backpack wanting to show him my asexuality pin that I had there that I got once I figured out the name of my sexuality.</p><p class="p1">“Kid what are you doing?” Peyton asked me and I just lightly poked him in the side for distracting me and Bernie glared at him for ruining the moment.</p><p class="p1">“Are you sure that what you’re doing is the right thing? I mean you barely even know this Calvin dude he could be a jerk for all you know.” Bernie came out of my skirt pocket to glare half heartedly at Peyton.</p><p class="p1">“Look you angry, grumpy penguin you might be cute but that doesn’t mean that I am going to let you ruin this for her. It’s obvious that her friendship with Calvin makes her happy so why can’t you get over your overprotective possessive self and let her have a best friend?” The bunny angrily demanded his paws gesturing around him.</p><p class="p1">“Because what if he is a jerk who breaks her heart?! What am I supposed to do then huh?! It’s not like he can see me so I can’t interrogate him. I’m trying to help the kid from making a bad decision.” He tried to argue his cause and I just put my head down for a minute not knowing how to make them stop all the arguing and debating.</p><p class="p1">“Hey are you okay, Elise? Are you okay?” Calvin asked me rapidly trying to get me to listen to him and come back from inside my own head.</p><p class="p1">“See what you did?! Now you’ve made her feel bad. Look sweetheart, for the sake of your own happiness ignore the opinions of the grump down here. Just enjoy yourself and try to have fun with your friend. He isn’t going to help you.” Bernie reasoned and Peyton sputtered a little bit but I just opened my backpack and the penguin sighed muttering that he knew when he wasn’t wanted.</p><p class="p1">“He’ll get over himself eventually sunshine don’t worry about him so much. What you should be worrying about is having fun!! I know that you can do whatever you put your mind to. It’ll be hard for you at first because this isn’t how you are used to things being done. You deserve to have friends. Everybody needs to have friends that make them happy.” Harold reasoned his lanky body morphing into funny shapes to try and get me to smile.</p><p class="p1">“Yeah I’m fine sorry about that just tired I guess…” I wrote off whatever I was feeling and Calvin looked at me like he didn’t believe a word that I was saying to him.</p><p class="p1">“Are you sure? Because if you’re nervous at all about what Mrs. Green said then I could just tell her that you don’t want any part of the theater department on stage or just in the chorus.” I shook my head with a small smile on my face. I looked down at my brown long skirt with a small smile.</p><p class="p1">“That’s really kind of you but I’ll really be fine. I have just had a really long day that’s all. Might just need to watch Promare when I get back home or something…” I trailed off with a small nervous laugh.</p><p class="p1">“I know that movie!! I saw it in theaters when it came out, the animation for that one is stunning. You’re a Lio girl aren’t you? Oh that makes total sense.” I laughed a little bit at my friend since he was able to read me really well.</p><p class="p1">“Alright, you called me out on that. Totally not fair by the way, am I really that obvious?” Calvin just laughed a little bit.</p><p class="p1">“I wouldn’t really consider obvious the right word. More like I’m just learning very quickly what you like because most of your favorite characters all have something in common. Most of the time they are tiny and angry but with good development as the show goes on. Case in point Yurio in Yuri On Ice.” I was about to open my mouth in protest but realized that I had talked myself into a corner. I couldn’t fight him on this because he was one hundred percent right.</p><p class="p1">“You’re right I just never even considered the fact that I had a type…” Calvin smiled softly at me shrugging his shoulders.</p><p class="p1">“It’s alright that you have a specific kind of character that you are drawn to. I mean it can be overdone but at the same time you also love characters that are different from your type so you don’t completely write yourself into a box there.” I laughed at my friend as Mrs. Green drew everybody’s attention to the front of the room.</p><p class="p1">“Can I have everyone’s attention please?!” She yelled at the class and I laughed a little bit at my dance teacher.</p><p class="p1">“She yells a lot just giving you a fair warning since I don’t know if you have her in other classes.” I smiled softly at Calvin for warning me. He was just really, really sweet. Nobody had ever been kind to me before him really. I had always blended into the background so having somebody to talk to wasn’t really something that I had ever expected.</p><p class="p1">“We have a new friend joining our ranks!! Would you feel comfortable introducing yourself or do you want me to do it for you sweet pea?” I nodded my head at the first option getting up with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“Hi, I’m Elise Elderheart. I grew up watching musical theater and I’m just genuinely happy to be here. It’s nice to meet all of you.” I introduced myself to the group of people around me who all cheered for me.</p><p class="p1">“Can you just do me one favor, that skirt looks super spin worthy.” One of the girls asked me who’s hair was dyed multiple colors to make a mermaid ombre. She was wearing a tank top, had a red flannel tied around her waist, neon skinny jeans and black combat boots.</p><p class="p1">“Oh of course!!” I spun around in a circle for my new group of friends watching the brown skirt flare out behind me.</p><p class="p1">“It’s a female version of one of my favorite animated characters-" The same girl smiled brightly at me.</p><p class="p1">“It’s Miguel from El Dorado isn’t it?! I love it so much, I’m Alanna by the way. I mostly go by Lana, I’m behind the scenes gofer and painter basically.” She introduced herself to me and I smiled brightly at the girl.</p><p class="p1">“Alanna is my current right hand woman it changes once in a while but I think this one will stick around.” Mrs. Green explained to me and something about this girl told me that she was a naturally kind person. She might have looked super intimidating but deep down I could see the lingering kindness there.</p><p class="p1">“Thanks Green really making a girl feel just peachy about herself.” She joked and I smiled softly. It was interesting seeing a girl in the theater department even behind the scenes with a speech impediment. I thought that it was cute and it reminded me of one of my childhood comfort characters Baby Bear on Sesame Street.</p><p class="p1">“Lana is super nice, she’s kinda chaotic but I think that you’d really like her as a friend. She’s one of my best friends from middle school.” Calvin reasoned and I laughed a little bit at my friend.</p><p class="p1">“We are going to be playing around with props today for Elise’s first day. I wanted to test her chemistry with Calvin to see how well they worked together. You two have three minutes and anything from this box is to be used at your disposal.” She told us and Calvin instantly leapt at the opportunity running and grabbing my hand.</p><p class="p1">“There really is a lot in here…” I said in awe and I saw two plastic swords towards the back that looked almost realistic.</p><p class="p1">“I could spend a week going through and organizing this Green because it’s an honest to God disaster…” Calvin huffed indignantly and I couldn’t help but laugh at him a little bit. I grabbed the sword to the back. He shared a look with me and I saw his eyes light up with a certain theatrical enthusiasm to them.</p><p class="p1"><em>“A donde vas pùnal?” </em>He wondered aloud and I blinked rapidly trying to figure out what he just said. I wasn’t really the best at understanding Spanish but knew that a donde vas meant that he was looking for something.</p><p class="p1">“Is <em>pùnal </em>a dagger?” I cringed at my own gringo Spanish speaking tone and my friend just nodded his head.</p><p class="p1">“How did you know that?” Peyton glared at him and I just put the penguin down so that I could help my friend look for a dagger.</p><p class="p1">“You just said you were looking for something and I made the best bet. It was all in Spanish. Sorry if it was super bad my family isn’t hispanic that we know of. They were both born in New York and high school sweethearts before they moved out here when my mom was pregnant with me. She wanted me to have a quieter life.” I mentioned to him offhandedly and my friend just laughed a little to himself.</p><p class="p1">“Oh I did? Perks of being bilingual my mom will often do that when she can’t find the right word for something. It’s usually an item that is super basic and one of has to be like mom you’re looking for the colander. I wasn’t even computing that my mouthwas speaking a different language. Wonder who crossed those wires together.” I laughed openly at Calvin. It was so easy to just talk with the eccentric theater kid. There was just something about him that kept me in on his orbit. I helped him look until at the bottom of the box there was a dagger that looked almost real.</p><p class="p1">“Do you both have your items that you would like to play around with?” Mrs. Green asked us and I nodded my head.</p><p class="p1">“Does it have to be something that we just came up with on our own or can it be from a movie?” Calvin asked our drama teacher. She smiled softly turning her chair so that she could see the both of us.</p><p class="p1">“I consider anything that you come up with off the top of your head improv. Whether or not you actually do it on the fly or it’s something that you both know where you’re going with it doesn’t matter. You were given three minutes anything that you can come up with in that amount of time is sure to be amazing.” She encouraged us and I spun my sword around with a small smile on my face. This had been something that I wanted to try since I was really little. Growing up with this movie and actually being able to act out of one my favorite scenes from it must have been some sort of dream.</p><p class="p1">“Alright all you munchkins to the theater!!” Green yelled at her kids that were all spread out across the floor and they all filled through to the theater. I had always loved our theater since our first tour of the high school. It was what initially drew me in and I knew that I had to perform on this stage.</p><p class="p1">“What we will be seeing cuties?!” She yelled from the top of the theater and I laughed a little bit at her.</p><p class="p1">“We decided that we would be doing the sword fight scene from Road To El Dorado.” Calvin stood straight as an arrow before he instantly launched into his character.</p><p class="p1">“Guards arrest her!!” I balanced on one of my ballet flats with a small smirk. Now that I was actually out here doing this I wasn’t nearly as nervous as I thought that I would be. It was like standing here with Calvin next to me I could do anything that I wanted to.</p><p class="p1">“You are to impugn my honor? He was the one who was cheating, arrest him! He tricked these sailors and took their money!” I gestured to the people sitting in the audience and could see Green’s scheming mind even with the bright stage lights.</p><p class="p1">“Oh now I’m the thief?” I nodded my head my eyes withholding the same bright sparkle to them that my character did.</p><p class="p1">“Yes.” It was taking everything in me to not burst out laughing. This was something that I had done with my little brother every time that we watched the movie with air swords. If he could see me now in the audience I knew that he would be proud of me.</p><p class="p1">“Take a look in the mirror pal!!” Calvin spun me sideways so that I could still be seen by the audience and not be doing assets as I often heard Green screaming about down the hall.</p><p class="p1">“Oh you better give them that money back or I’ll-en garde!” I grabbed the sword that I had hidden inside of one of my massive skirt pockets.</p><p class="p1">“En garde yourself. I will give you the honor own a quick and painless death! Not with that.” He put the dagger back in his other pocket before grabbing his actual fake sword.</p><p class="p1">“Ha! I prefer to fight fairly.” I moved my back foot and our plastic swords clashed together. Calvin held such a different presence when he was doing theater. He was able to hone that confidence that I did see a little bit of when we were just talking. It was different though when he was playing a character. He was able to fully embody every part that made Tulio, well Tulio.</p><p class="p1">“Well any last words?” He asked me bringing me out of my trace that I had fallen into. I was still sword fighting with him but my mind had taken a backseat.</p><p class="p1">“I will cut you to ribbons-fool!” I plunged my sword which he expectedly dogged. The chemistry that I loved between both of these characters was something that I found so easily to duplicate with the right partner.</p><p class="p1">“Such mediocrity. Let your soul do the talking.” I smirked dodging his own thrust forward with his sword.</p><p class="p1">“I will. It will be loquacious to a fault! Ha, take that!” That had always been one of my favorite lines of Miguel’s in the entire movie. Hearing the other drama kids laugh at our antics playing these two lovable rouges brought so much of my own childhood back.</p><p class="p1">“You… mincing, fencing twit.” I laughed a little bit behind my teeth dodging the next move with a small smile.</p><p class="p1">“Ah, you fight like my sister!” As badly as I wanted to improvise and say that she was five I kept that information to myself for right now.</p><p class="p1">“I’ve fought your sister. That’s a compliment.” I heard the audience yell the names that the crowd did from the movie and I went for Calvin’s face.</p><p class="p1">“Not the face. Not the face!!” He dodged turning to the audience and dropping his sword with an over exaggerated bow.</p><p class="p1">“Ladies and gentlemen we’ve decided it’s a draw.” I put my sword next to his doing a small curtsy.</p><p class="p1">“Thank you all for coming. You’ve been great. See you soon.” I heard the audience of the small group of thirty something theater kids cheer for us.</p><p class="p1">“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that in my entire life. You’re both a really good match for one another. Elise, can I talk with you in my office for just a minute. The rest of you pick your props and your teams.” Mrs. Green explained to the other members of the team. She opened her office door to me and gestured to the couch.</p><p class="p1">“Elise hun, I know that this might be a lot for you. Calvin needs a leading lady. One who can hold her chops and one who has chemistry with him that can withstand anything. I’ve tried countless other freshman but haven’t found any that could get lost in a role like you just did. I haven’t told anybody else this, not even Calvin. Our first show for the fall is going to be Little Shop of Horrors. Usually I would hold auditions for the leading lady. But now I know that there really isn’t any need.” As my dance teacher explained this to me, my eyes widened. Ever since I was a kid I had loved the beauty and simple meaning behind Howard Ashman’s lyrics. How he could write something that both children and adults could get into. I had spent far too many long hours in front of my bathroom mirror singing Somewhere That’s Green. I had trained my voice to sound like Ellen Greene in the privacy of my own bedroom. Even when my younger siblings all judged me lovingly they always listened to my singing.</p><p class="p1">“What are you saying?” I didn’t want to get too ahead of myself. One of my biggest dream roles right out of the gate? It just seemed way too good to be true if you were asking me.</p><p class="p1">“What I’m saying is that if you would be willing; I want you to be my Audrey. I know that you might not say yes right away and that it’ll be a lot of work for you to get over that shyness that you have-" I interrupted her with a nod of my head so fast that I looked like a bobble head to anybody else. I pinched my lower arm yelping in pain and rubbing the sore spot there where I had just done that.</p><p class="p1">“Yes, absolutely one hundred percent yes. Mrs Green I would love to be your Audrey. I can’t just act I can sing too!! I’ve been singing like my favorite characters since I was a kid and she’s one of them.” I explained to her and she blinked a few times not believing that I had just agreed with her.</p><p class="p1">“You will have to perform in front of at least a hundred people every night for a week and two shows on Saturday and Sunday.” She reminded me and I nodded my head with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“I know that Mrs. Green. I’ve gone to your productions in the past. I also know that I can do this. I can and I will. When I put my heart and mind into doing something no matter the anxiety that I have going into it I will pull it off.” She smiled softly at me handing me another flyer that was underneath the Little Shop of Horrors one.</p><p class="p1">“I was thinking about doing this production for wintertime. Usually I do three shows a year if I can. One of them is during the summertime. I do fall, winter and then summer with a one play in the spring. Do you know it?” I looked down at the piece of paper that she had given to me seeing the title She Loves Me.</p><p class="p1">“I do know it! It’s one of my favorite classic musicals, I don’t know if I can pull off either of the main characters though.” I sighed a little bit and Mrs. Green took my hand in her’s giving mine an encouraging squeeze.</p><p class="p1">“I think that you could pull it off if you really want to Elise. There is something special inside of you a spark whatever you want to call it. You are truly good at theater and that’s a rare quality. To get truly so lost in a role and still maintain the facial expressions of somebody that is animated. Have you ever done theater before?” I shook my head with a small laugh remembering myself in the second grade.</p><p class="p1">“Not unless you count a hippopotamus in a school play when I was six.” My teacher laughed genuinely at me.</p><p class="p1">“Performing is difficult. Not everybody can do it and especially do it well. I was lucky finding Calvin when he was just in middle school and he’s been with me ever since. At first I just liked his face. Then I taught him to act and he became an incredible actor. I know that his family doesn’t exactly approve of this profession. They want him to run the <em>pastelería</em> that his family owns. He is so much more than just a baker though. Talents like him are rare finds for a lot of theater directors. They spend their whole lives looking for the Calvin’s. And for the Elise’s to match their flare for the dramatic. I just think that you two would make a really incredible team together. I think that you two would be one of the few high school couples that actually did the amazing and got beyond that state of life.” I blushed a bright pink wanting to protest and tell her that we weren’t even really dating.</p><p class="p1">“I know you aren’t yet sweetie that’s part of the whole point of doing this. I know that you are going to make this character proud because you’ve got what a lot of other actresses pray that they one day get. A heart.” She reminded me and I smiled softly at my favorite dance teacher. She had already given me so much and I was so grateful for everything that she had done for me.</p><p class="p1">“Audrey has been an endgame dream role of mine since before I could even remember. I never watched the movie but my mom is a musical theater fan. So I grew up hearing The Meek Shall Inherit through the house. I guess it’s part of her New Yorker blood. I’ve never been back to visit before but I’ve always wanted to.” Mrs. Green smiled softly at me and handed me the flyer for Little Shop as well.</p><p class="p1">“I always give my students a flyer for the show just in case they want to hang them up in their bedrooms. Calvin has a whole board in his bedroom dedicated to them.” I couldn’t help but smile at the sheer idea of Calvin hanging his flyers on a corkscrew board. It was just too adorably nerdy that it drew me even further into his orbit.</p><p class="p1">“Are you going to tell your parents when you get back home?” I nodded my head with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“Yes I am ma’am thank you for your most gracious opportunity to prove myself.” I thanked her and she just waved her hand in joking dismissal.</p><p class="p1">“Don’t even worry about it sweet pea if anybody deserves a break in life it’s you.” She reminded me and I went back into the theater to watch everybody else’s productions.</p><p class="p1">“You were amazing.” I looked up seeing Alanna standing in front of me a little bit awkwardly. I smiled softly at her.</p><p class="p1">“Thank you, it was surprisingly not as difficult as I was making it out to be in the hallway. You umm mentioned that you paint?” She nodded her head and wiped out her sketchbook for last year’s production of Finding Neverland.</p><p class="p1">“This was my first show with Mrs. Green. I was in charge of scene changes and backgrounds for the scenery. I wasn’t expecting to love it nearly as much as I did but it helped me get here. Is Calvin your boyfriend?” I shook my head with a soft pink blush on my cheeks wondering where everybody was getting these crazy ideas from.</p><p class="p1">“NO!! We’re just friends, why would be anything else?” She just laughed at me sitting in the chair in front of me but facing towards me.</p><p class="p1">“I’ve known Calvin since he moved here with his family. He’s a great friend to me. Most people just made fun of me until him. He’s one of my best friends if not my only friend. He’s a lot weaker than he makes known to other people. He’s the one who held his hand out to me and told me that I could have friends. I didn’t have to be alone anymore because now I had him.” I listened to my new acquaintance talk about what my friend had done for her.</p><p class="p1">“I guess you could consider this your interrogation even if I already can tell that you’re a good person Elise. I’m just a little bit paranoid I guess. You are the first person that my best friend had really taken an interest in and I don’t want him to be hurt.” She told me her mermaid hair falling into her face.</p><p class="p1">“I understand how you feel. Maybe not exactly because I’ve never had a friend either. I grew up being called a freak due to my special interests that I loved. It made me a bit more closed off to people that I could be friend’s with. I’ve been the quiet type ever since I was a kid. It made it harder for me to be more open about what I wanted. To me even though I get nervous about the slightest bit of public speaking working off of Calvin helps me to forget all about the anxiety that I have.” Lana smiled softly listening to me talk about my friend that I had made through my English class.</p><p class="p1">“He wants you to start eating lunch with other people. He hasn’t said anything to me but I know that he wants you to. Most of our friend’s are pretty cool. It’s a lot of the people that you see around you right now just in smaller doses. There’s also the popular kids but they are pretty easy to ignore. Cal never wanted to be popular. It’s something that happened after he became so into theater. With his newfound love of acting grew his confidence. With that more people became interested in him and wanted to be his friend.” She mentioned offhandedly and I smiled softly at her.</p><p class="p1">“I didn’t think that he would really care that I usually just take lunch my history and homeroom teacher’s office. Nobody has ever wanted to eat lunch with me before and the regular lunch room is too loud for me…” Alanna smiled softly at me for a moment. I looked up seeing Calvin laughing with some of his friends. I found it hard to believe that soon I would be acting off of him in one of my favorite dream roles.</p><p class="p1">“Then maybe we move lunch to the green room in here? Or wherever you are most comfortable. Is it just regular old too loud or is it something else?” She asked me and I kicked my feet back and forth for a moment.</p><p class="p1">“It’s something else. I’m not super vocal about it but I have aspergers. Basically it means that I-“ Alanna laughed a little bit at me raising an eyebrow up at me her brown eyes showing me that she had heard this story before.</p><p class="p1">“I know what it means I’m not dumb. I’m dyslexic and have ADHD along with a recent diagnosis of both types of anxiety. Sounds like some kind of cruel joke, I go into high school only to be slapped with social and generalized anxiety disorder. I’ve had friends on the spectrum before since I’ve been in resource for most of my entire life. I’ve never seen you there though.” She told me and I rubbed the back of my neck a little bit awkwardly. This was when people started to look at me as if I was a freak.</p><p class="p1">“Well that’s because I… I’m really smart. I started off in resource for math and English back in elementary school. I was there for about five months before they realized that I didn’t actually need it. I was smarter than most of my class so I got the special treatment switched around. I take advanced math classes and I want to be an engineer.” I explained a little bit of my life to her and she gapped a little bit at me.</p><p class="p1">“That explains some things. I think that’s really awesome though! I mean judging by the fact that you came here and totally blew the house down I thought that you’d be interested in pursing theater like Calvin.” I shook my head my hair going every which way. The very notion of me pursuing theater beyond this seemed to be ridiculous.</p><p class="p1">“No I’m not that talented at it. Mostly I joined so that I could finally make my first friend maybe and not be ostracized outright.” Alanna blinked at me in confusion but an understanding smile graced her face.</p><p class="p1">“You were bullied, weren’t you? Obviously I was too mostly by the way that I talk. It’s gotten better but it’s still bad. I find it hard to believe that Calvin was your first ever friend though. I mean you’re really nice and you’re funny.” She shrugged her shoulders and I looked down at my ballet flats.</p><p class="p1">“Well it’s true. I have never had a close friend before. I had acquaintances up until the second grade but that’s when people started to bully me. That was the first time that I was called a freak. Nobody has ever thought that my jokes were funny before so I don’t really know how I’m funny but thank you.” I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear with a small smile on my face as Mrs. Green came back out of her office.</p><p class="p1">“Alright!! Who’s going first?!” She yelled at her kids and they all separated to debate amongst themselves to who would go first.</p><p class="p1">“Mikayla and Ashlynn go!!” She ordered and the two girls stood at the front of the stage with practiced smiles. Calvin made his way to the row that I was sitting in before he sat down next to me. </p><p class="p1">“My two favorite girls talking, that’s good. What are you doing all the way down there Lana? Get yourself up here.” I smiled softly as the gothic girl moved up a row and went to sit next to her friend.</p><p class="p1">“I was just talking with her a little bit more. Not my fault that you’ve been keeping her all to yourself. I expected you to force her to eat lunch with the rest of us by this point.” She joked putting one leg on top of her other one.</p><p class="p1">“I didn’t want to put too much pressure on her. I know that our friends can be… a lot. Most of them are people from this group. There are a few of the ‘popular kids’. If they give you any grief though, any at all just tell me and I’ll give them the what for.” I laughed a little bit at Calvin being anything but super sweet. I watched the rest of the theater kids go for their turns in awe of how talented they all were. Of course Green chose nothing but the best for her theater group but at the same time I was still blown away.</p><p class="p1">“I have a big announcement for when you all get here tomorrow. I have finally picked our shows for this year.” The group of students cheered and I smiled softly at the thought that right now in my pocket was a flyer for the audition.</p><p class="p1">“What did Green want from you?” Lana asked me and I looked up at the drama teacher who threw me a wink.</p><p class="p1">“She just wanted to talk to me about what I wanted from my future with the drama club.” I wrote it off as nothing and went back into the room seeing Bernie and Peyton bickering.</p><p class="p1">“I don’t understand you at all!! Why are you just letting the kid ruin her life?! Obviously that popular boy is trouble with a capital T. Why am I the only one that’s seeing it?” He ranted and I looked over at Calvin not seeing what the grumpy puss was on about. From what I could tell my friend had bee nothing but earnest and truthful over the last few days.</p><p class="p1">“She is not ruining anything you idiot! She just wants to have a friend and frankly I can’t blame the poor thing. She’s been alone for so long and the first friend that she makes you have to find a problem with so that you are right. Don’t even try to deny the fact that you’re jealous. You’re jealous of everybody that gets in the way of you and her. Probably even jealous of me and Harold because we was made first.” Bernie threatened crossing his little paws above his chest and I just sighed a little bit.</p><p class="p1">“Are you alright Elise?” Calvin asked me and I nodded my head running my hand through my long blonde hair.</p><p class="p1">“I’m fine, I’m just going to head home I think. I’m really tired.” He held up his hand getting out his phone and looked at him in confusion.</p><p class="p1">“Where’s your phone? Let’s trade numbers.” I went into my backpack front pocket and pulled out my phone.</p><p class="p1">“What’s on your phone case there?” He asked me and I smiled softly remembering when I had decided to draw them online.</p><p class="p1">“They are my original creatures. I made them all myself and I love each and every one of them equally.” I said loud enough to be overheard over Peyton and Bernie’s bickering and Calvin looked at them in awe.</p><p class="p1">“That’s so cool!! I know that you told me you made your own dragon, what’s his name?” I looked up at Harold who was meditating in the air probably trying to do something to tune out the rage and aggression underneath him.</p><p class="p1">“His name is Harold. He’s kind of like if you crossed a hippie and a dragon together. I love him so much he was the first of my creatures to be made.” Harold swopped down to give me a hug and put his arm around my shoulders, his claw softly grounding me.</p><p class="p1">“Is that why people called you a freak?” I nodded my head looking down at my shoulders and I felt Calvin put his hand on my other shoulder.</p><p class="p1">“Well quite frankly they were a bunch of <em>idiotas </em>because you’re not a freak. If anything I think that you are freaking amazing.” My heart warmed and I felt a little bubble of laughter leave me in surprise.</p><p class="p1">“Hey lover boy, I wanna go home some time today can we press onward?” Lana snarked waiting by the side door and Calvin blushed a light pink color.</p><p class="p1">“We live in the same neighborhood. Here just give me your phone.” He told me and he plugged his information into my phone.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll see you in Stins’s class tomorrow morning!!” He waved to me on his way out the door and I turned around seeing Bernie and Peyton trying to look the absolute picture of inconspicuous.</p><p class="p1">“Don’t think that either of you are off the hook yet. I’m not happy with either one of you for the way that you acted. For that you both get time in the backpack.” I put them both in there hoping that they would figure out their issues.</p><p class="p1">“They were really just looking out for you Elise. I know that Peyton acts like he doesn’t care about much of anything but I do know that he does care about you. He loves you sometimes he just doesn’t know how exactly to show it. They are vastly different people and that’s why they fight over you.” Harold flew next to me and I smiled softly at my best friend fixing his flower in his mane.</p><p class="p1">“Mrs. Green wants me to play Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. That’s going to be her fall musical.” Harold cheered for me with a bright smile that lit up his whole face. I knew that no matter what as long as I had him by my side that anything I could dream of was possible.</p><p class="p1">“Elise that’s so exciting!! That’s been your dream role since you were a little kid, I’m really truly happy for you. I know how much that show means to you. It was the first that your mom got you interested in right?” I nodded my head with a small smile at the memory. Theater was what mad eye as close with my mom as I was.</p><p class="p1">“I was five when she took me to see a community theater production of it. It’s the first memory that I have of actually going to the theater. I don’t remember much of course because I was just a baby but what I do remember was the warmth that Somewhere That’s Green gave to me. It was the show that changed everything for me. I know that I can pull this off Harold. I know that I can.” My best friend grave me the thumbs up sign for encouragement and I knew that he was proud of me.</p><p class="p1">“You can and you will sunshine. I’m proud of you Elise, you are so amazing. You’re out here making friends that will last you for the rest of your life. Calvin and you are already super close I love watching you two cute kids together.” I blushed a light pink thinking about the friend that had changed my life forever.</p><p class="p1">“He’s just so sweet…” Harold laughed a little bit at me hitting me gently with his tail. I laughed at my best friend when he took one of his flowers and put it into myhair.</p><p class="p1">“Do you think you’re going to join them for lunch tomorrow?” I nodded my head with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“I think I will. It’ll be nice to have actual company instead of just eating by myself with my headphones on in Stins’s classroom. I really like Alanna too she was really nice to me.” I spun into the open sunshine outside with a bright smile on my face for the first time in my life feeling like I had something at school that made me genuinely happy.</p><p class="p1">“Did you like any of the other performances today that you saw?” I nodded my head with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“I thought that Colton and Alexis’s was very funny too. They seemed to be really nice people. I’m sure that I’ll have the chance to talk with them more when we start preparing for the show.” I told the dragon who grinned back at me.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll have to watch one of your rehearsals. I know that those two had a rough day today but I wouldn’t put the blame onto them. They’ve both been through enough already. I do think that Bernie saying that you prefer me and him over Peyton was a bit of a low blow and not at all true.There’s this saying that I know sometimes when we’re angry we say things we never meant to say… those words are enough to break a heart or injure a soul. Anger makes our brain work less and our tongue work more. Once said those words can’t be taken back and sometimes they break a healthy relationship. So think before you speak and when you’re angry keep silent. Your silence may hurt the ones you love but your nasty words can break them and damage them beyond repair. An Indian actress said that, Neena Gutpa. Sometimes I just think about whenever I hear an argument going on between your brother and sister.” I felt tears come to my eyes and knew the peaceful dragon was right about everything.</p><p class="p1">“I know that they don’t mean to fight but when they do I don’t know how to break it up or how to deal with it.” I sighed a little bit and Harold just ran a claw down my cheek cupping it gently with a small smile on his face.</p><p class="p1">“I would recommend just letting them talk it out. It’s obvious that Bernie cares about him and doesn’t like when Peyton gets like this. I’d imagine that they are talking it out right now in the time out backpack. Just be yourself alright and everything else will work itself out. Don’t worry about the problems of others unless they directly influence you. Peyton is just being himself. He loves you, probably in his mind a little bit too much. This makes him want to wrap you up in bubble wrap so that you are never hurt.” I laughed at the idea of the little penguin wrapping me up in bubble wrap and rolling me around while glaring at everybody within a six foot radius of me.</p><p class="p1">“Thank you Harold, that was really, really helpful.” I thanked my dragon and he just shrugged his shoulders.</p><p class="p1">“It was no big deal really I wanted to make you feel better. I knew that you were still thinking about them and their fight. I tried to break it up before you got back but I don’t think that Peyton likes being far away from you.” He reminded me and I smiled a little bit sadly at the fact that Peyton was just not getting along with Bernie. It seemed almost laughable because Bernie was one of the happiest people that I knew.</p><p class="p1">“Did your parents ever not get along?” I shrugged my shoulders. I guess there wasn’t a lot that I knew about my parents and their love story because I never asked.</p><p class="p1">“I’d have to ask them since now I’m kinda curious if they ever didn’t get along. All I know is that they are from New York and moved out here to give me that small town girl life.” I told him and he ran his claw through his beard.</p><p class="p1">“But you haven’t ever been to the big apple right?” I shook my head putting my hands in my skirt with a small smile.</p><p class="p1">“Our grandparents always come out here for Christmas. It’s warmer here and they prefer that. But I heard that we might be going upstate to visit them this year. I really hope that they are right since I would love to see Times Square. There are a few other spots that I really want to think about as well.” Harold listened to me talk about my dream to visit the greatest city in the world. Going to New York had always been a fantasy of mine but something that I really wanted to do was go to Baltimore.</p><p class="p1">“What’s in Baltimore?” Harold asked me and I smiled softly with a wistful expression on my face.</p><p class="p1">“One of my heroes is buried there, the writer for Little Shop Of Horrors. He wrote for Disneyas well his name is Howard Ashman. He passed away from AIDS before Beauty And The Beast was released. I always promised that I would break away from my parents for a day and go to visit him. Just to thank him and tell him how much he inspired me when I was growing up.” I pushed a lock of hair and Harold just smiled sadly at me.</p><p class="p1">“He sounds like he was amazing sunshine. I’ve heard you play his stuff all the time. What would you sing to him if you were to visit him.” I looked up at the bright and sunny sky with a sad smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“My favorite song song that he ever wrote was a sad song that he wrote for his friends that were dying he called it Sheridan Square. I play that one a lot because the piano that Alan Menken made for it is just beautiful. I get lost in it just about every time I hear it. My parents told me that if we ever go to New York that they’ll let me spend a day in Baltimore so that I could do it. I just have to keep them posted and come right back. It’s a three hour train ride but I’ll do it. You want to come with me?” I asked him and he nodded his head excitedly. I smiled softly I would probably take Bernie and Peyton with me as well and the idea of going with them to do something that was bound to make me cry made me dread it not so much.</p><p class="p1">“I would love to sunshine!! It sounds like you’ll need some emotional support for that one and I’ll always be your cheerleader.” He waved his hands around in jazz claws and I laughed a little bit at his ridiculousness.</p><p class="p1">“Are you two ready to come out yet?” I asked them and saw Bernie’s droopy ears as he nodded his little head.</p><p class="p1">“I’m sorry sweetheart. I didn’t mean to start fighting. I was just frustrated and angry.” I smiled softly taking the rabbit out of my backpack. I picked him up and he rubbed his soft fur against my cheek.</p><p class="p1">“I’m sorry kid…” Peyton apologized and I smiled softly at him picking him up with my other hand and he just settled back against me.</p><p class="p1">“You both are okay. I know that you two are vastly different people. But I hate fighting so I would prefer it if you two got along. Come on you three, let’s head home I’m beat.” I walked the rest of the way up the road to my house and saw Nathanial playing his video games.</p><p class="p1">“Did you tell mom why you got sent to the office?” He nodded his head sticking his little tongue out.</p><p class="p1">“She said that we were going to talk to the principal tomorrow and that she was going to defend my case. That’s what you get when she’s an at home lawyer.” I laughed a little bit at my little brother going up the stairs to the attic bedroom where I resided. I saw my piano off in the corner and I put up my flyer for the front of the playbill up in my room. I smiled softly as Peyton climbed up onto my piano bench. I started playing the downbeat to Sheridan Square.</p><p class="p1">“I know this song, isn’t this the song by that guy that you really love who wrote Little Shop?” Peyton asked me and I gave my best friend a thumbs up as he settled against me and listened to me play.</p><p class="p1">“Mhm, good memory Pey. It’s one of my favorite songs of all time even though every time I hear Howard sing it I cry.” My mom came up the stairs and sat down on my bed closing her eyes and listening to my playing.</p><p class="p1">“You play so beautifully sweetheart. I just wanted to give you this it’s a surprise.” She told me with a wink and went back down the stairs. I opened the envelope seeing inside of it was the plane tickets to New York the day that I started my Christmas break. Behind it was train tickets to Baltimore along with the right grave sight for my hero.<span class="s1"><br/></span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes!! We’re officially going, my first trip to New York!!” I cheered putting my ticket up on my piano with a small smile.<br/></span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“</span> <span class="s1">You’ve never been to visit your grandparents?” Peyton asked me and I shook my head with a small smile.<br/></span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“They’ve always come here since I only see them during the holidays. They usually take the younger ones to Disneyland with me. It’s actually a lot of fun!! I love the Christmas season with them. This is my dream though. And achieving another dream at the same time. With these train tickets I can visit Howard’s grave. I want to give him a performance of Sheridan Square.” Peyton glanced over at me with a small look of contemplation on his face. </span>
</p><p class="p2">“I’m coming with you kid. Not taking no for an answer.” I laughed a little bit at my best friend nodding my head putting my train tickets into my wallet.</p><p class="p2">“I was already going to drag you with me kicking and screaming. I’m leaving early that morning looks like a six am train so that I can come back in time to spend time with my siblings. It’s gonna be cold too.” I shuddered a little bit knowing that it would be freezing ass there but it would be alright. This was a bucket list worthy thing that I had been wanting to do for years now</p><p class="p2">“Don’t remind me of how cold it’s going to be. It’s not going to take me very long thankfully. I do want to bring some flower though as well. But mostly it’s just going to be me singing this song that I love so much. It was the first song that ever really touched me in my heart. It was also the first song that I listened to when I was designing you.” I told him and he blinked in confusion.</p><p class="p2"><br/>“Were you really?” I nodded my head going to get my notebook and showing him the original design that I had for him.</p><p class="p2">“My music teacher was the one that told me about the song. She mentioned it to me because she wanted me to be a part of her legend song writer concert. I got sick the night before and had to tell her that I couldn’t do it.” I sighed a little bit that idea still made me cry to this very day.</p><p class="p2">“I’m sorry that happened to you kiddo. I know that must have sucked. You get sick a lot still don’t you?” I nodded my head making a fifty fifty motion with my hand and a small smile.</p><p class="p2">“It’s better than it was that’s one thing for sure. I still have to be careful about what I do sometimes and cold and flu season I get sick at least once no matter if I have the shot or not.” Peyton waddled over to me and gave me a hug. I hugged the cold penguin back with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p2">“I’m sorry about fighting with the rabbit kid. I’ll try and not to do it from now on.” I kissed Peyton’s forehead.<br/><b></b></p><p class="p2">
  <b>The next day lunchtime: </b>
</p><p class="p2">“Are you sure that this is such a hot idea?” Peyton asked me with a hesitant look towards the large group of about fifteen people standing outside of the theater room.</p><p class="p2">“I want to do this Peyton. You wanted me to make some friends this is how I make friends.” I reminded him kissing his forehead gently and Bernie gave me an encouraging thumbs up from the inside of my short pockets. I smiled softly going over to the group of people.</p><p class="p2">“Hey Elise!! How’ve you been for the last five minutes that I haven’t seen you?” I rolled my eyes laughing a little bit at Calvin’s eccentric nature.</p><p class="p2">“At least you have classes with her. I’m glad that you came Elise. We need another sane person amongst these crazy heads.” She joked and I laughed at her nature as Colton looked down at her.</p><p class="p2">“We didn’t really get a chance to meet yesterday I’m Colton, one of the senior chorus boys of Green’s.” He introduced himself to me and I smiled softly at the much taller boy. I cursed my smallness because it made people like him feel giant compared to me.</p><p class="p2">“It’s nice to officially meet you Colton. I really liked your performance yesterday.” I told him and he laughed at me.</p><p class="p2">“Thanks, you’ve got some mad skills yourself. Where have you been hiding her Cal?” My friend laughed a little bit putting his arm around my shoulders. Lana smiled softly at the interactions of her best friend.</p><p class="p2">“I haven’t been hiding her man!! I only met her the other day. She’s in my fantasy and mythology literature class. We changed seats the other day and she got put new to me.” He told the taller chorus boy who smiled softly at the two of us. I looked around the rest of the group seeing four people sort of milling to themselves off in the corner.</p><p class="p2">“Don’t mind them, those are the “people who think that Calvin is cute” inner circle. I’m Mikayla!! I didn’t get to introduce myself yesterday either. I love your shorts.” She told me and I smiled softly looking down at my flaming shorts.</p><p class="p2">“Thank you, I’m a big fan of the flame aesthetic. Most of my clothes have flames on them if I’m being entirely honest.” Colton cracked a small smile and I slowly but surely started to relax my shoulders a little bit.</p><p class="p2">“My girlfriend usually joins us but she’s running a little bit behind schedule. She was my partner for the prop scene yesterday.” Mikayla mentioned and I smiled softly. I adjusted my flame hair clip a little bit nervously.</p><p class="p2">“There’s no need to be nervous most of us don’t bite. I would just try to avoid the inner circle if you can. They are vicious and they low key terrify me.” Lana laughed at her other friend nodding her head.</p><p class="p2">“I have gotten so many threats from them, like helllooo I’ve known him for longer than he was popular anybody home up there or is it just a bunch of empty seats in the house.” I couldn’t help it, I started laughing so hard that my stomach was hurting.</p><p class="p2">“First theater joke of the day and stealing my thunder usually those are my jokes. But up top!!” Colton stuck his hand up and Lana gave him the high five that he was asking for. Calvin leaned a little bit further into my side.</p><p class="p2">“I wanted to introduce you to everybody a bit slower but when I told them that you were coming for lunch they all got super excited. If you need a moment to yourself feel free to take it whenever you need it.” I smiled softly at my new friend as I saw Ashlynn  catch up to her girlfriend. She had on Mabel’s rainbow pink sweater and I smiled softly at the fact that I would have another cartoonaholic amongst us.</p><p class="p2">“You did come!! I thought that Calvin was yanking my chain, I’m Ashlynn obviously.” I smiled softly at her shaking her hand.</p><p class="p2">“When have I ever yanked your chain <em>chamaca?” </em>He asked her with a quirked up eyebrow and I laughed a little bit.</p><p class="p2">“Okay fair point. Still thought that of all people Colton would scare her away.” She joked and my new friend put his hand over his heart staggering a little bit.</p><p class="p2">“I can’t believe this, Amy I thought that we were pals. You know what, if you are going to play that card, I am making Elise my new freshman friend.” Colton told her and I saw her eyes widen a little bit.</p><p class="p2">“Are you serious?!” He nodded his head with his hand on his chin and I chuckled a little bit.</p><p class="p2">“Dead serious, have you seriously never tried acting on a serious level?” I nodded my head with a small nervous smile.</p><p class="p2">“I was always too nervous to try it before yesterday. Surprisingly it was really easy doing it with Calvin.” My friend smiled a little bit at me. The bell rang above our heads and all of us filed to the green room.</p><p class="p2">“COLTON POPADOPALIS I NEED YOU!!” Colton sighed a little bit shaking his head a little bit.</p><p class="p2">“His last name is Spanish I can’t say it. Calvin what was it again?” My friend laughed a little bit at Lana.</p><p class="p2">“It’s Pacheco and she knows it but she always makes fun of it. Popadopalis is my personal favorite and his least favorite but it still makes me laugh every time. She probably needs something the from the tall shelf and our gentle giant is the only one who can get it.” I laughed a little bit as Calvin opened the green room door with an over exaggerated bow. I went into the room and took a seat in one of the long couches. Calvin sat next to me with Lana on his other side leaving enough room for Colton when he got here.</p><p class="p2">“Your shorts are amazing, did you make them yourself?” Amy asked me and I nodded my head with a small smile.</p><p class="p2">“I just added the flames on the side. I have a bit of a flame aesthetic. Yesterday was different. I only wear my Miguel cosplay when I’m super nervous about doing something. I was really scared that it wasn’t going to work out as well as it did.” Mikayla smiled softly at me from her spot on the floor next to her girlfriend.</p><p class="p2">“I can understand that, I think most all of us that do theater in this room were nervous during our first round. I thought that you were amazing though hun!! You did really well bringing that character to the stage. OO El Dorado musical!!” She interrupted herself and Calvin chuckled at her.</p><p class="p2">“Mika is always trying to come up with new musicals based on films since so many of them are based off of movies nowadays. That’s actually a really great idea though!!” Calvin encouraged her and I nodded my head with a bright smile on my face. Colton came into the green room huffing a little bit with a small smile as he took the spot next to Lana.</p><p class="p2">“Thanks for the spot save Lana. She just needed me to get this bin from the top shelf. Honestly the woman has a step ladder she could used it once in a while. I am not a human stepladder.” He joked taking out his own lunch from his backpack and Peyton grabbed me mine.</p><p class="p2">“Greek salad?” Calvin asked me and I nodded my head with a small smile on my face. I usually didn’t eat a whole lot because it was rare that I was hungry and some meals I would forget at random.</p><p class="p2">“Is that all that you have?” Colton stared blankly at me and I nodded my head but he held up his hand.</p><p class="p2">“No way, not on my watch, here.” He handed me a bag of chips and a bag of gummy worms.</p><p class="p2">“Share those with Lana or she will have your head trust me I know.” Calvin joked and I looked over at the tall boy.</p><p class="p2">“But you didn’t need to do that…” I protested and he just laughed a little bit at me smiling softly.</p><p class="p2">“I know that I don’t have to but I did so don’t try to give them back. Alright Mika you get to ask the question this time.” He told the girl on the floor who cheered popping a grape into her mouth.</p><p class="p2">“Yes!! I did it, anyways the question is who is your favorite person to ever work on Broadway? Colton started the question when I first got here. I’ve been with the theater department here since I was in the sixth grade.” She told me and I swallowed my kalamata olive from my salad.</p><p class="p2">“My favorite person to ever work on Broadway is actually really easy. He’s been my hero since I was in the fifth grade. My dad picked out this movie it was called Waking Sleeping Beauty. My hero is Howard Ashman-" Colton let out a whoop of joy giving me a double high five.</p><p class="p2">“Are you serious?” Somebody l off in the corner asked me and I nodded my head with a small smile.</p><p class="p2">“Elliot get your butt over here, Elise this is Elliot. They’re one of the behind the scenes folks with me.” Lana encouraged her friend who came over to sit in front of the couch with us.</p><p class="p2">“That’s not one that you here everyday but mad props to you girly. What’s your favorite song that he ever wrote? Is it one of his Disney ones?” Mikala asked me and I shook my head with a small smile.</p><p class="p2">“Do you guys know Sheridan Square?” I asked them and they all shook their heads except for Elliot.</p><p class="p2">“I have it on my phone.” They told me and got out there phone playing the song that I loved.</p><p class="p2">“I never knew that Howard could sing…” I nodded my head with a small smile at Calvin as I settled agains the back of the couch.</p><p class="p2">“He wrote this song when he found out that he was sick. It was for all the people that he lost that had AIDS.” Mikayla gaped at the two of us over there on the couch and her eyes willed up with tears.</p><p class="p2">“Thanks I wanted to cry this lunch period…” Colton tossed her a bag of Kleenex from his backpack.</p><p class="p2">“That’s actually really cool that you know that Elise. I love his work on Little Mermaid. That’s my favorite Disney movie.” I smiled softly at her tucking my hair behind my ear kicking my feet back and forth.</p><p class="p2">“I love Beauty And The Beast personally. But my favorite modern one within the last few years is probably Moana. I watch it with my little sister who’s five.” I finished my salad and opened my bag of chips.</p><p class="p2">“What kind are they?” I showed them to Calvin and he held his hand out. I giggled pouring him a handful of the potato chips.</p><p class="p2">“What do you think the fall musical is going to be?” My friend wondered aloud and I smirked internally because I already knew.</p><p class="p2"><br/>“I wish I could tell you.” Mrs. Green flung open the door and saw that most of us were sitting here and just eating our lunches while the popular girls kept glaring at me from the sidelines.</p><p class="p2">“Since most of you are already here I’m going to tell you what our fall musical is going to be. We’re doing Little Shop Of Horrors kiddos!!” Calvin’s eyes lit up with an almost mystical glee to them.</p><p class="p2">“Who’s going to be Audrey?” Mikayla asked her and Mrs. Green looked at me as if she wanted to know if it was okay to tell people and I nodded.</p><p class="p2">“Elise is going to be our Audrey!! I was going to hold auditions but after her performance yesterday I just knew that it should be her.” My drama mates cheered with me and I couldn’t help but feel tears come to my eyes. Due to Calvin’s gentle hand I had made more friends, two more amazing friends. Life was finally starting to look up for me. I was going to be playing a leading role that had been on my list since I was far too young.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi everyone!! I've had a lot of one shot ideas that's why this chapter has taken so long to come out. I apologize for the lengthy wait but I was also refining Calvin's character and now I know the exact direction that I wanted to go with. Also we have my best friend officially in the show. I personified her as the character Alanna (name might change in the future. I told her to think about it.) This chapter is something that is really personal for me because I always wanted to join my high school drama club but was always too nervous to actually do it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Episode Four: I learn to walk in heels?!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">“Hey Elise!!” Colton came up to me as I was packing my bag after the first day of rehearsal and I looked over at him.</p><p class="p1">“Come out to get ice cream with the rest of us? It’s not going to be too many of us. Just Calvin, Lana, Ashlynn, Mikayla and myself. I want to get to know my new favorite freshman more.” He offered me and I looked over at Calvin who gave me the most pleading look to come out with them. Peyton looked up at me as if he wanted to leave the opportunity to take it up to me. I was supposed to help my brother design his handmade radio at some point during the week but that could wait another day. He would understand, besides once he got home from school he would probably be addicted to his gaming console when I got home. I shot off a quick text to the group chat that I had with my parents just to make sure that it was okay with them first. They gave me their approval and told me just to let them know when I was on my way back home.</p><p class="p1">“I can come!! I have to help my brother with his science project tomorrow though. It’s due next week and he keeps pushing it out. Tomorrow I am not above forcing him.”I joked and Colton just smiled softly at me.</p><p class="p1">“How many siblings do you have?” I held up two fingers with my hand grabbing my backpack. I found my place in line next to Calvin since he had quickly become one of my favorite people. He was so easy for me to talk to that it made me a lot less nervous in unknown situations.</p><p class="p1">“I have two, they are my younger twin brother and sister. They are both five.” Lana quickly caught up with the rest of us having spent most of the club meeting drawing scene designs.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll bet that they are adorable!! I love kids.” Mikayla mentioned with a bright smile on her face and I showed her the lock screen on my phone.</p><p class="p1">“This was us last Halloween. I’d say that they are definitely the cutest kids. I look really strange but I loved having fun with my siblings.” I showed them the cosplay that the three of us had done taking the Warner siblings designs and trying to bring them to life without it looking “creepy”. It had mostly just been the three of us modifying their clothes. People had no idea what we were supposed to be unless you were diehard fans but the three of us still had a lot of fun.</p><p class="p1">“You were Yakko? Why do I feel like your favorite was totally Dot?” Colton teased and I laughed at him.</p><p class="p1">“That’s where you would be one hundred percent right! Dot is my favorite of the trio because I feel like her a lot more but we went according to age so my younger sister Nicole she was Dot. Since I was the eldest I got to be the fast talking Warner. My parents were Scratchinsniff and Hello Nurse. It’s rare that we get to do costumes with the whole family but that was one of our favorites.” I played with a lock of my blonde hair explaining how my family had usually done Halloween.</p><p class="p1">“My family usually doesn’t celebrate Halloween because we’re too busy for <em>dia de los Muretos </em>the next day. It’s a huge deal for us since a lot of people want sugar skull cookies and things like that. I do love giving out candy to the trick or treaters though!! They’re always adorable.” Calvin sighed a little bit. I could tell that there were years that he really wanted to go out and have fun with his friends during the holiday but he never did. His family probably either didn’t allow it or he was too afraid to ask. Either way my heart broke for him.</p><p class="p1">“Halloween is easily the best holiday at least it is for me since it’s the one holiday a year where nobody judges me for dressing like a cartoon character.” Ashlynn reasoned and I smiled softly at the girl that reminded me a lot of Mabel Pines.</p><p class="p1">“What’s your favorite holiday Elise? I’m on the Halloween train for sure since my birthday is a week before it.” Lana joked and I laughed a little bit at the gothic girl next to me. I adjusted my flame hair clip that I had taken out while I had rehearsed.</p><p class="p1">“My favorite holiday is probably Christmas time. I love the feeling that I get around it and buying presents for my siblings. Getting to see their faces light up on Christmas morning is all the serotonin that I need to get me through the year until the next one. But other than Christmas I have to say that I really love Halloween as well! I mean any excuse for me to get free candy I’ll take it. Even though this will be my last year dressing up officially.” I sighed a little bit but I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of what I was going to do.</p><p class="p1">“I stopped dressing up years ago, now I just mooch off the candy that my parents buy for the trick or treaters since nobody ever comes to our house. So I still consider that a win situation. What are you going to be for Halloween?” Colton asked me and I snickered a little bit when he had to duck to get out of the black box classroom.</p><p class="p1">“I am going to be Wirt from Over The Garden Wall. It’s already been decided that my younger siblings are going to be Gregory and Beatrice so it’ll be our last group Halloween. After that I’m in the same boat as you.” I saw Ashlynn side eye me as I saw a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. I could tell that she was probably the only person other than Calvin who knew precisely what I was talking about.</p><p class="p1">“Alright Colt I get why she’s the new favorite freshman. I’ll still whine about getting replaced but she’s a good choice too.” She joked and I couldn’t help but laugh. These people were all so quirky and odd but at the same time there was this massive overtone of kindness to each of them.</p><p class="p1">“How was your first day of rehearsal?” Calvin asked me carefully and my heart warmed. He really did care about my anxiety levels and the levels on my social meter that I had briefly mentioned to him in the past.</p><p class="p1">“It was great! I really feel fine, I’m not overwhelmed or anything like that. Thank you for worrying about me though. I’ll let you know if I get too overwhelmed. It’s strange. I feel like I just fit in with you guys.” Peyton smiled softly at the fact that I was finally happy with the people around me.</p><p class="p1">“I’m proud of you for joining up kid. I know that you were super nervous but you still did it anyways. That took guts that you did not run away and hide instead. We barely even had to push you. You got here all on your own and I think that’s amazing.” He encouraged me and Bernie came out of my pocket climbing up onto my shoulder.</p><p class="p1">“I’m proud of you too sweetheart you’re doing great!! Keep it up and you’ll have your own group of friends in no time at all.” Calvin smiled brightly at me holding the door open for me to exit the school.</p><p class="p1">“What’s your favorite show Calvin?” I asked my best friend who rubbed the back of his neck with a small laugh.</p><p class="p1">“You are absolutely going to make fun of me when I tell you. I blame Mikayla she was the one who got me into it and it was <em>not </em>a fun time. My favorite show is Galavant-" I burst out laughing nearly holding my sides with tears in my eyes.</p><p class="p1">“I-I hold on I can’t…” Peyton looked up at me rolling his eyes since these three new my love of the absolute chaos that was this show.</p><p class="p1">“I loved Galavant. It was so funny! Easily one of my favorite shows within the last few years. There are so few self aware musical theater out there let alone a theater television show that was self aware. And then you get Alan Menken to do your underscore and lyrics? Just yes. That show is a one hundred percent yes. I just wish that it got more than eighteen episodes but I got super into the series and never missed one of them.” I joked and Calvin just looked at me with this expression of awe.</p><p class="p1">“You know what show I’m talking about?” I nodded my head with a bright smile on my face as Harold just snickered.</p><p class="p1">“Does she know what show you’re talking about, I watched all the episodes with her.” I glared half heartedly at my dragon best friend laughing at him.</p><p class="p1"><em>“And he asked her for her hand, well more like a demand, well more like had his henchmen snatch her! </em>Sorry I had to quote the opening number it’s one of my favorites. I guess that proves that yes I do know exactly what you’re talking about.” The look that Calvin gave me had my heart skipping a beat.</p><p class="p1">“What’s your favorite show Elise? I already know that you’re the cartoon type but I’m curious as to which is your favorite.” Ashlynn asked me and I smiled brightly. The sun shone brightly in the sky signifying what a perfect day I was having.</p><p class="p1">“My favorite cartoon is probably Over The Garden Wall. It got me through a lot when I was younger and Wirt is my main comfort character. He helped me figure out that I could be a good older sister and that it didn’t really need to be changed. I have what I call comfort characters and he’s at the very top of that list.” I mentioned to the rest of the group carrying Peyton who smiled softly at me.</p><p class="p1">“Did you love Gravity Falls too or was it just your siblings?” I saw Calvin look at me with a warm expression on his face.</p><p class="p1">“I loved it too! It was my favorite show to watch with them for sure I think it was more for teens then it was for children. They loved the twins and I loved Grunkle Stan that’s I think how you would explain that the best.” Calvin opened the side of the car door for me and I smiled gratefully at him scooting to the end while Ashlynn and Mikayla scooted to the back of the row.</p><p class="p1">“I don’t really watch a whole lot of cartoons so you might have to get me caught up.” Calvin rubbed the back of his neck a little bit with a small smile.</p><p class="p1">“I’d be happy to help you! I love a lot of modern cartoons so most of the time I watch them.” Colton just smiled at the two of us and I could tell that something was brewing in the backlot of his brain.</p><p class="p1">“Alright kiddos buckle up!!” He exclaimed and Calvin rolled his eyes lightly laughing at his best friend.</p><p class="p1">“What’s your favorite food?” Calvin asked me and I smiled softly at him. I buckled Peyton in with me and he pouted a little bit.</p><p class="p1">“Kid I am not a child I do not need to be buckled.” Bernie smile softly at him as he climbed down my arm and he sat down next to Peyton.</p><p class="p1">“Well at least now you have a buddy!!” I smiled softly at the two of them as I turned to my friend to give him my full attention.</p><p class="p1">“That’s kind of hard because I’m a naturally really picky eater. Part of my aspergers is that I am super weird about my food mostly that I can’t have it touching anything else unless they belong together. I think that my favorite food would probably be grilled cheese. I’m sorry…” I apologized and he just smiled gently at me listening to me.</p><p class="p1">“I really love my mom’s enchiladas actually, she mostly makes her own food but it’s so good. I would beware of it because it’s not <em>gringo </em>Mexican food but I’m sure that she’ll be able to do something for you.” He encouraged me and I could see Lana lightly roll her eyes with a small smile on her face.</p><p class="p1">“We’re going to Cold-stone kiddos, I would say Ventura harbor but that’s a full day trip and I don’t want to get you guys back too late.” I smiled softly because the harbor was one of my favorite places in the entire world.</p><p class="p1">“We’ll go there sometime!! I love going there to watch the boats actually it’s really calming.” Calvin told me and I smiled softly at him. Bernie tried to snuggle closer to Peyton but I saw Peyton put up his flipper.</p><p class="p1">“Not going to happen bunny, nice try though.” Bernie pouted at him and he lowered his ears giving him the sadness look.</p><p class="p1">“Gah! Stop that!! I can’t be mad at you when you do things like that. Fine.” Peyton put his wing down and I saw Bernie cheer with a small smile on his face.</p><p class="p1">“I would really like that Calvin. I know that it’s a long trip but the harbor is one of my favorite places.” I settled against the car seat with a small smile. This group of people was some of the most welcoming that I had ever been around.</p><p class="p1">“Hey Elise!! What’s your favorite movie?” Mikayla asked me behind me and I cracked a small smile.</p><p class="p1">“I love Lord Of The Rings to be honest, even if they aren’t anything like the books. I could watch them a million times but they just make me happy. I watch them once a year with my parents every January. It’s one of my favorite parts of the year.” I told my group of friends and Calvin’s eyes brightened.</p><p class="p1">“Actually Lord Of The Rings is one of my personal favorites too!! I can’t watch it all in one sitting so usually I take a whole week to watch them. What were your opinion on the Hobbit movies?” I groaned out loud causing the rest of the car to laugh at me. Harold gave me a small thumbs up from outside of the car.</p><p class="p1">“I hated them. I only saw the first movie with my parents when it first came out but the three of us went into an absolute rage fit. On the car ride home it was just three raging nerds in a car and it was actually one of my favorite memories with my parents. I’ve always been close with them but being nerds with them is one of my favorite things we can do.” I pushed a lock of blonde hair behind my ear with a small smile on my face.<br/>“I’m the same way, I saw them with my papa who read me the books when I was younger. I blame him for why I’m such a nerd now but we were both so angry that we never saw another episode.” I laughed a little bit at the memory that me and Calvin both had very similar experiences with the live action Hobbit movies.<br/>“Whenever I want to watch a movie version I just watch the animated one.” Ashlynn mentioned from the back row and I gave the cartoon loving girl a high five.</p><p class="p1">“I love that movie! My dad and I watched it all the time together it was how I got into the book series. Then my mom read the books to me when I was younger.” I explained to her and Ashlynn just grinned back at me.</p><p class="p1">“Hey Elise, did you ever ask Calvin who his favorite person to work for Broadway is?”I shook my head with a small smile turning towards the boy next to me.</p><p class="p1">“It’s Alan Menken. I love his lyrics and I could listen to him play piano all day.” He was a little bit embarrassed about it seemed as I gave him a bright smile.</p><p class="p1">“Hey that’s super awesome! That would make us matching then since Howard worked with Alan during his life.” I grinned at him and I saw his cheeks turn a soft pink color. Lana just huffed a little bit but I could tell it wasn’t out of annoyance.</p><p class="p1">“Maybe you could get matching bracelets for it or something?” She teased lightly and her best friend just nudged her.</p><p class="p1">“Shut up Lana mind your business. I wasn’t like this with John was I?” I blinked a little bit in confusion and Mikayla lightly tapped my shoulder.</p><p class="p1">“John is Lana’s boyfriend they’ve been dating since last year. All four of us went to middle school together.” I smiled softly playing with the ends of my hair since I had been there too but hadn’t exactly told them that. I didn’t really know how I would without sounding like a creeper.</p><p class="p1">“I went to the same middle school. I just down’t joe any friends.” I told her and she gasped at me in a little bit of shock.</p><p class="p1">“Was our golden boy your first ever friend?” I nodded my head with a sad smile on my face. I wasn’t as upset as I was about it anymore mostly because I was adjusted to being alone.</p><p class="p1">“He was my first friend yeah. But it’s fine! I mean I have you guys now and I think that we’re friends?” Colton laughed a little bit at me. I could hear the mirth and I knew that he would be one of my closest friends that I ever had.</p><p class="p1">“Of course we’re friends now Elise. We don’t invite just anybody to our ice cream hangouts, not unless we like them.” He reminded me and I smiled softly. For the first time in my life I was genuinely liked by my peers. I didn’t have to pretend to be somebody I wasn’t.</p><p class="p1">“Hey Lana, what was your favorite show growing up?” I asked the quiet girl who was sitting on the other side of Calvin.</p><p class="p1">“I really loved a lot of different shows but if I had to pick just one favorite it would probably be DragonTales.” I whopped giving her a high five over her best friend who was leaning against her side.</p><p class="p1">“I loved that show growing up too! Obviously I’m a dragon girl that’s how I figured out what I wanted for my aesthetic to be. Dragons were my special interest when I was a kid. I blame Le Guin and her writing because The Farthest Shore has been my favorite book since I was… probably about the age of five?” I did the mental math nodding my head because I had met her when I was six.</p><p class="p1">“And then when did you start getting interested in theater?” Mikayla asked me as Colton took a left turn and I saw the familiar sign.</p><p class="p1">“I got into theater when I was seven! So it’s actually kind of a funny story talking about my introduction to theater because it wasn’t your typical introduction. It was Jesus Christ Superstar. Something just clicked in me when I saw it like this is what I had to do if my life depended on it. So I started singing just about everywhere. Of course, Ellen Greene was the first that I realized huh if I try I can sing just like her. So I began to sing Somewhere That’s Green basically whenever I could trying to get it one hundred percent accurate. Looks like that actually paid off in my favor. I never thought that it really would. I thought that I was just being a nerd.” My friends all laughed at me and before I could open my door Calvin held up his hand.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll get that!!” He scrambled to the other side and I could hear the light snickering of Mikayla and Ashlynn in the back.</p><p class="p1">“You know Cal you’ve never done that for any of us. Is this some kind of new development?” Ashlynn lightly teased him and I saw the colors come across his cheeks.</p><p class="p1">“Well I mean-you’ve never asked <em>chamaca </em>I’m just trying to be nice.” He offered me his hand and I blushed a bright pink but took it anyways. I felt the now familiar pulse of electricity andquickly let go of his hand.</p><p class="p1">“S-Sorry.” I apologized but Peyton just snickered behind his flipper and Bernie lightly nudged at his side.</p><p class="p1">“Don’t apologize, it’s okay.” He smiled softly at me and saw Lana snap her fingers in front of her best friend’s face.</p><p class="p1">“Earth to lover boy, let’s get a move on. I need ice cream. Green ran me ragged today and I need some cold sugar. Colton you’re buying right?” She quickly caught up with our driver who sighed with a small smile nodding.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll take care of it don’t panic if you guys can’t pay me back eventually. Consider it my treat.” He promised us and I was about to protest but I could tell by the look in his eyes not to counter him at all.</p><p class="p1">“Do you know what flavor you want?” Calvin asked me and I nodded my head with a nervous smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“Do you need one of us to order for you hun?” Mikayla asked me carefully and I nodded my head.</p><p class="p1">“Which one do you want? I can do it!!” Colton promised me and I smiled softly at the good friend that I had made.</p><p class="p1">“PB Dough Delight please in a small.” He nodded his head with a small smile on his face giving me the thumbs up.</p><p class="p1">“I think that he’s in the celebrating mood due to the fact that he got Orin in Little Shop. Usually he never pays for anything he’s a bit of a Mr. Krabs on the best of days. I’m his cousin.” Mikayla explained to me and I blinked a little bit in confusion.</p><p class="p1">“Is that true?” She laughed a little bit nodding her head showing me a picture of her and a younger version of my gentle giant friend.</p><p class="p1">“Yep!! We’ve been close ever since we were kids so that’s why he calls me Mika. It’s a family nickname that sometimes I allow friends to call me. You can call me that too if you’d like to. Do your siblings have cutesy nicknames for you?” I shook my head laughing a little bit as Peyton’s mouth watered.</p><p class="p1">“She’ll get you some ice cream later cutie!! I think we’ve got some in the freezer back at home. Just let her be with her friends for right now.” Bernie reminded him and I saw my favorite hot tempered penguin grumble a little bit but didn’t fight back despite being called a cutie.</p><p class="p1">“They really don’t. My name is really easy to pronounce and say so they never had any trouble. Sometimes they’ll call me Elle but that’s really about it.” Lana also told Calvin her order and he smiled at her nodding his head.</p><p class="p1">“I have anxiety too. So I get where you’re coming from. I’ve always had to have Calvin order for me ever since we first met.” I nodded my head in understanding since that was a pain that I definitely felt. It was something that I found easily relatable.</p><p class="p1">“I’m sorry if I seem cold to you at first Elise. I just worry about Calvin. He’s like my brother and I don’t want him to get hurt. So just until I know you a little bit better I’m going to continue to be protective over him. I know that you won’t hurt him on purpose but I’m always a little bit dicey around new people.” She explained to me and I nodded my head in understanding since it was something that made a lot of sense to me.</p><p class="p1">“I get that. I’m sure that if I had a friend like him for as long as you have that I would be protective over him too.” I reasoned and Colton came back carrying my ice cream that was definitely not a small.</p><p class="p1">“You can’t be looking thin as a rail all the time especially not being the leading lady in a theater production. Can’t have Audrey passing out on me during rehearsals. Hence why I got you the medium. If you can’t finish it either me or Calvin will we’re the bottomless pits.” I laughed at my friend taking the ice cream from him.</p><p class="p1">“So you’re Mikayla’s cousin?” I asked him curiously and he just laughed a little bit at me pulling up a chair next to me.</p><p class="p1">“Yep!! I am her older cousin but we’re more like older brother and younger sister. I always tell people that she is I just spaced on telling you. Sorry about that I can have a bit of a thick skull sometimes. It’s going to be a challenge for what I want to do with the rest of my life.” I blinked in confusion a little bit taking a bite of my peanut butter cup.</p><p class="p1">“You don’t want to be an actor?” He shook his head laughing a little bit at me putting his leg on top of his other one.</p><p class="p1">“No I don’t actually. Most of the time I’m a chorus boy. This is my first major role too so we’ll learn together!! I want to be a pediatrician I have since I was younger. I really love kids so that’s been the endgame ever since.” My heart warmed at the fact that the gentle giant truly was just that. He had every right to go through the route of acting, from what I had seen today with rehearsing off of him he would make a really good career out of it.</p><p class="p1">“That’s really sweet I think Colton. I really hope that you achieve your dream one day! I want to go into technology and electronics. I love building things like helping my brother with his radio even though he’s just a little kid I can’t wait until he’s old enough to do actual science experiments with me. I love science I pretty much always have at least other than biology.” I explained to him what my career goals were as well.</p><p class="p1">“Do you know what exactly you want to do with electronics? It’s a really big field so I’m just curious. Obviously you don’t have to have anything figured out right now you’re still just a cute freshman.” He reminded me and I laughed a little bit at him calling me cute crossing my arms over my chest.</p><p class="p1">“I am not cute. I want to do something in prosthetics that way I can help people as well. Maybe one day we’ll work together! That would be really cool.” I exclaimed and my friend just laughed a little bit at me clinking his bowl with mine.</p><p class="p1">“Well then I’ll have to look out for your name then if I ever have any amputees that need prosthetics then. I think that it’ll take a lot of work but one day you’ll be able to stand at the top of the mountain and be like hey idiots who made fun of me I did it.” I smiled softly at the boy across from me. He was so energetic and lively but I could see that there was something softer there.</p><p class="p1">“I know that it’ll be difficult but it’s something that I really want to do. I don’t want to have my life on this rock mean nothing to anybody. So I have recently decided that I want to start changing my life. I want to have self confidence and be able to tell myself that yes I can do something and actually believe it.” I tried to reason and I saw Colton smile softly at me. I saw him take out his phone to take a picture of his ice cream.</p><p class="p1">“I’m taking a food porn picture for my girlfriend who is stuck in cheer practice. She’s teaching freshman right now and is texting me about how bratty they are.” He showed me a picture of his girlfriend leading the pyramid for cheer which must have been last year.</p><p class="p1">“We’ve been dating since seventh grade but she’s been my best friend since preschool. It probably sounds crazy and dysfunctional but I love her more than anything in the whole world. I’ve always loved her no matter who she wanted to be. She makes me a better person and is the most amazing woman that I’ve ever met. She’s about the only woman I’ve ever known who can call me out on my bullshit. I used to think that I was a really bad actor when I first started but she was my cheerleader. It’s because of her that I’ve stuck with it instead of just dropping it. I love theater. It’s just never been the career for me. It’s always been more of a stopgap measure than an actual career. Calvin is going to become an actor. His parents might try and stop him but he’s going to do it.” Something dawned on me and I looked at the man across from me tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.</p><p class="p1">“Can your girlfriend walk in heels?” I asked him and he nodded his head a little bit confused. Calvin came back to the table with everybody else.</p><p class="p1">“She owns a pair of heels, why asking?” I kicked my legs back and forth my mind made up. Even though Green had told me that I could wear flats to me something about Audrey just screamed heels to me.</p><p class="p1">“I want to learn how to walk in them for Audrey. I know that I will need the information for future characters. I can’t play a lot of characters in sneakers.” I told him and he just smiled softly at me.<br/><br/>“I think that’s actually a really smart idea, she’d love you. I’ll ask her if she’s free the day after tomorrow?” I nodded my head with a small smile. Calvin scooted a chair on the other side of me so that we could talk easier.</p><p class="p1">“Adrianna is just going to love her I promise you that!! She’s super bubbly and cute. I low key wish that she was my sister.” Mikayla joked scooting on the other side of her cousin as her girlfriend leaned against her shoulder.</p><p class="p1">“Sometimes she gets migraines and has to stay at home. I’ll usually go over there during lunch and make sure that she has cuddles if she wants them. Sometimes she doesn’t and I just have to mind her space. I know that not being born a woman bothers her sometimes. But she’s never really let it get to her. That’s one of the things that I love the most about her. She can stand at the top of the world and not let anybody knock her down. Plus I wanted to meet you yesterday so I went there after school.” I smiled softly at the idea of Colton caring for his girlfriend when she wasn’t feeling well. It was obvious that he loved her with all his heart and was willing to do anything for her.</p><p class="p1">“I can help too if you need my help as well. You know that Green said that you didn’t have to do heels if you weren’t comfortable with them. There’s no need to push yourself for your first show.” Calvin reminded me and I smiled softly at him tucking a lock of hair behind my ear with a small smile.</p><p class="p1">“Every Audrey that I have ever seen does heels. It’s a need to do. I know that she said I could make it work with flats but I want to give this performance my everything. It’s the first one that I’m doing and to me that is a really big deal. I want to make my parents proud of me and in order to do that I have to learn how to walk in heels. I can’t just sing like Audrey. I have to act the part too and that means working with heels not character shoes. Besides what better time to learn since heels are mandatory for a lot of female character roles in musical theater.” I argued with him but I knew that he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. This was not going to be easy for me but I also knew that I had to do it. Maybe I’ll get to know my other costar a little bit better during the process.<br/><b></b></p><p class="p1">
  <b>Two Days Later: </b>
</p><p class="p1">“Kid, you do not need to do this.” Peyton fought with me and I rolled my eyes at him. He had been moaning and groaning about this all day.</p><p class="p1">“Yes I do. Look I know that you’re the over protective type but this is something that I want to do not just because I am the main leading lady but because this is important. I need to know how to walk properly in heels and you are not stopping me just because you’re worried about me.” I lightly flicked his forehead and he pouted up at me.</p><p class="p1">“Sunshine, we know how important this is to you. Could it be that maybe if you find that you can’t do this you will feel inferior and like you’re not a real woman?” Harold reasoned and I looked up at the dragon in front of me.</p><p class="p1">“Maybe? I think you might be onto something there. I just really want to pull this off. I think that if I can’t maybe I can’t be Audrey. Every production of the show that I have ever seen she’s wearing heels. Never flats. It’s something that is iconic to the character. About as much as her blondness or her ditzy nature. I really want to do this guys. I’m sorry that I have been really grumpy about this the last few days.” I looked over at the piano off in the corner and I walked over to it. There wasn’t anybody around me and I sat down at the familiar instrument playing the song that had originally called me to my favorite Broadway lyricist</p><p class="p1"><em>“Hot Sunday night, I guess the folks were busy fighting Jode already left home eleven years old on my own feeling nothing but lonely…” </em>Peyton carefully listened to me play the anthem that had called me to the beauty of Howard Ashman lyrics a few years ago. Bernie came out of my shorts pocket and hopped up to listen to me as well.</p><p class="p1">“Somebody’s quite the musician!!” I jumped a little bit clutching my tee shirt at the sudden new voice.<br/>“Oh I’m sorry honey, did I scare you? I know that my boyfriend told me that you were talented but that’s something that I haven’t seen in a very long time. You’re a Howard Ashman fan? That’s kind of unique he didn’t really live long enough to do a whole lot with theater or with Disney.” It took me a moment to recognize that this was Colton’s girlfriend. She looked entirely different from the picture that he had shown me a few days ago. She had her hair up and was wearing an adorable skirt with a tank top and high heels.</p><p class="p1">“I’m a really big fan of Howard. I would have done his songs in a concert last year but I got really sick beforehand so I wasn’t allowed to. I tend to kind of get lost whenever I sing one of his songs I guess that’s what I get when I sing them in public. I’m so used to singing them up in my room and playing my piano there.” I heard the soft clack of heels as my costar’s girlfriend officially came into the room.</p><p class="p1">“I think that’s really amazing sugar!! You’ve really got a great set of pipes on you there, I’m Adriana are you Elise?” I nodded my head with a bright smile on my face as I heard Colton come running to his girlfriend.</p><p class="p1">“Hi baby.” It was so cute to actually see my newfound friend being so smitten with the woman that held his heart.</p><p class="p1">“Hi sweetheart, I brought all my shoes.” She showed me an overly large bag and I could hear her boyfriend snicker a little bit.</p><p class="p1">“You didn’t have to bring <em>all </em>your shoes Rina in fact I insisted that you didn’t because there’s so many of them.” He teased and Adriana just stuck her tongue out her tongue at her boyfriend. Calvin came into the room smiling softly at me.</p><p class="p1">“Did you bring all your shoes Adriana?” He asked the girl teasingly and she just scoffed a little bit at him ruffling is hair.</p><p class="p1">“Not you too golden boy I already have to put up with him don’t make me do the same thing with you. It’s nice to meet you Elise, my boyfriend has told me a lot about you. It doesn’t take a lot to get yourself all wormed into his big squishy heart though.” I laughed a little bit at the woman in front of me.</p><p class="p1">“Why do they call you golden boy?” Calvin sighed a little bit sitting down next to me at the piano bench.</p><p class="p1">“Because they have yet to see me mess up yet since I got here a few years ago. Colton started calling me golden boy because I tend to be a bit of a goody two shoes.” I smiled softly at my best friend and the idea that the older of the two of them lightly teased him.</p><p class="p1">“I thought that he was the cutest thing when he first got here!! It’s nice to see a fresh face here though, I thought that Mercy was going to be Audrey. We did not get along.” Calvin groaned a little bit leaning slightly against my shoulder.</p><p class="p1">“Mercy is the other freshman here that was going to be my other leading partner for the productions to come but her and Green got into a big fight a few months ago before summer started. She’s a bit of a tyrant, well they both are and two tyrants working together isn’t really the best thing to ever happen.” I blinked a little bit in confusion. Was I taking somebody else’s rightful spot and didn’t even know that I was?</p><p class="p1">“It’s for the best kiddo just trust me on that. I had to work with her for four years and it’s better that she’s gone. Just if she ever gives you any grief whatsoever promise me that you’ll come and talk to me?” Colton swore and I nodded my head with a nervous smile. I didn’t want to make anybody hate me even if I didn’t even know who they were.</p><p class="p1">“Or me I’d rather that you come to me. I can put her in her place. I’m used to her for the most part. She’s super whiny but I won’t let her pick on you. Not when I can protect you.” Calvin promised me and I couldn’t help but blush a light pink.</p><p class="p1">“Well would you look at that sweetie, golden boy has a crush on the golden girl.” Adriana teased with a bright sparkle in her eyes. Calvin instantly sputtered.</p><p class="p1">“I do not!! <em>Dios mio </em>between you and Mikayla I don’t know where you guys get these ideas from.” He protested but I could see the laughter that was coming from Colton and his girlfriend.</p><p class="p1">“I say that we start with smaller heels!! I know that this will be hard for you and I’m not expecting for you to be perfect at them right off the bat.” She encouraged me and I nodded my head with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“I’m here if you need to lean on me and make sure that you don’t fall and break your ankle. Colton is probably just here to film everything for his own entertainment at a later date.” Colton rolled his eyes at Calvin but I could tell that it was just out of love.</p><p class="p1">“I might be slightly a trickster but that would just be cruel. You know that if this doesn’t all work out Elise that you don’t have to wear heels for the show right?” Colton encouraged me and I nodded my head with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“I know that I don’t have to do this. It’s just every production of Little Shop that I have ever seen she wears heels and I don’t want to be one of the ones that doesn’t. Not if I can help it. I basically got the role handed to me and I want to prove to myself that I deserve it.” Calvin smiled softly at my bumping his shoulder against mine.</p><p class="p1">“You earned the role because you are a fabulous actress that’s not getting it handed to you. Besides she could tell that you were a good dancer already. I know that you’re nervous about this even though you haven’t mentioned it to my yet. I know that you can do this though and I will support you as Seymour.” Calvin reminded me and I smiled softly at him as Adriana put out her shoes in front of me and I suddenly got really nervous.</p><p class="p1">“Don’t be intimidated by the amount of shoes, this is why I told you to only bring the smaller ones baby and then we work up to the ones with more height. Just take your time Elise. We’ve got all afternoon and if you need to take a break than that’s okay.” Colton encouraged me and I took a deep breath before picking up the smallest heel.</p><p class="p1">“No I can do it. I know that I can do this.” I took off my sandals that I had worn to school with this purpose.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll support you as much as I can!!” Calvin promised me putting his arm comfortingly around my shoulders so that I could lean on him if I needed to. I blushed a light pink but found that actually walking in the smaller heels wasn’t that hard. I slowly let go of Calvin and was able to actually walk in them by myself.</p><p class="p1">“Well that’s progress!! See you’re already walking in my smallest heels which are not that small. I think that I’ve got the perfect ones for Audrey actually in this lineup. Where did I put them…” Adriana went through her pile and found the cheetah print heels that she was looking for. I gulped a little bit at the size of the hell on them. They were significantly higher than the ones that I had picked.</p><p class="p1">“Baby that might be pushing it just a little bit. Why don’t you try these first?” Colton quickly stepped in and showed me flame ones that were a little bit higher and I quickly snatched them from him.<br/>“Yes please!! I love flame anything pretty much, it’s my aesthetic usually except for today. I was trying to look somewhat normal.” I tried to joke slipping the heels on. I stood up and actually walking in these while a little bit harder and I fumbled a little bit at first to which Calvin ran to catch me.</p><p class="p1">“Are you okay?! Here, lean on me it’s okay, there you go you’re doing a lot better now.” He encouraged me and I smiled softly at him.</p><p class="p1">“I think I’ve figured out your problem sugar. You lack self confidence. There is an art to the heel and it explains a lot to me here golden boy switch her over to me for a second.” Calvin carefully let me go and I looked up at Adrianna.</p><p class="p1">“When I first started to transition I ran into a similar problem. I had a lack of self confidence. I couldn’t see myself as the boss that I was and it took me a long time to get out of that funk. I had the love and support of Colton of course to help get me out of it. You have your friends and Calvin. I know that it must be so hard for you. It was really hard for me feeling like I wasn’t worthy of the friends or the love that I was receiving. I know how it feels to look in the mirror and not like what you see.” Adriana explained to me turning me so that I could face the mirror. I sighed a little bit not liking where this was going. I looked up seeing Harold who was smiling encouragingly at me.</p><p class="p1">“I think that you’re beautiful honey. You’ve got these really gorgeous eyes that shine when you’re in the zone and playing your character. Are you thinking about cutting your hair off for Audrey as well?” I nodded my head fingering the locks of my really long blonde hair. I had never seen a long haired Audrey before and I wanted to do as much justice to the character physically as I could.</p><p class="p1">“I like your hair the length that it is but I could see why it would be annoying. I’ve been growing mine out since I found out that I was done being embarrassed about who I really was. I could probably do with a little trim myself. Probably before the major game season starts. Did Colton tell you that I did cheer?” I nodded my head and I looked over at Colton who was looking at his girlfriend with all the love in his heart.</p><p class="p1">“I’ve done cheer since I was in middle school. It was how I first got into feminine things. It started with just makeup but then I tried on a skirt for the first time. For the first time I wasn’t embarrassed by the way that I looked. I looked in the mirror and saw me. Are you embarrassed about the way that you dress sometimes?” I nodded my head looking down at my Gravity Falls shirt that I had warn for comfort reasons today.</p><p class="p1">“I loved that show too so I understand why you dress the way that you do. It gives you comfort and I totally understand that. It’s hard to find your style and you definitely own the one that you usually go for. It’s just that there is something that is holding you back.” I sighed a little bit pushing a lock of blonde hair out of my hair.</p><p class="p1">“I don’t like the way that I look… I look too nerdy… I’m too skinny…” I trailed off and she just nodded her head in understanding.</p><p class="p1">“I used to think of myself in the same way. That I was ugly and that I was born in the wrong body. I always knew that there was something about me that was different and you know how I accepted who I am? It wasn’t through anything traumatic or something like that. I accepted myself by looking in the mirror and for every bad thing that I said about myself I told myself ten good things. You’re now up to thirty hun. I can help you if you need help or one of us can help you. The key to loving yourself is not to stop saying the bad things that you see but replacing that voice with a good voice. You pick one person in your life and decide who you want that voice to sound like and they help you to tune out the bad. My good voice it sounds like my gentle giant hunk of a man. It might take time before you figure out who yours will sound like.” I shook my head since I already knew who I wanted mine to sound like.</p><p class="p1">“Does mine have to be a real person?” She shook her head and I looked back in the mirror with a small smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“I made this imaginary friend when I was a little kid. He’s a dragon and his name is Harold.” I mentioned to her and she just laughed a little bit at me.</p><p class="p1">“We can work with a dragon!! I just want to tell you one more thing it’s a quote that I saw online and then painted onto my wall. Self love, it doesn’t mean that everyone will treat you the way that you deserve to be treated. It means that you won’t let them change the way you see yourself; nor will you stick around them for them to destroy you. I’m a painter that’s what I want to do with the rest of my life.” She reasoned with me and I felt tears come to my eyes as I played with the hem of my shirt.</p><p class="p1">“Do you need help coming up with the first thing that you like about yourself Elise?” Calvin asked me and I shook my head for once in my life standing tall.</p><p class="p1">“I like that I’m intelligent.” Adriana nodded her head with a bright smile on her face as she stopped leaning against my shoulder.</p><p class="p1">“That’s great!! Intelligence is really rare quality for people to be confident about. What do you like about the fact that your intelligent?” I took one step towards the mirror and actually found that I was walking with my head held high for once in my life.</p><p class="p1">“I love that I was able to help my brother build a handmade radio from scratch. I love that I’m really good with technology and that I am able to build things. I love that I can create stories to use as bedtime stories for my younger siblings.” I listed of the things that I loved about myself as I walked around the room.</p><p class="p1">“These are amazing!! Keep going new topic, this time looks, what do you like about the way that you look. This is a harder one for a lot of people. It was the hardest for me.”Adriana reminded me and I sighed looking at my reflection in the mirror.</p><p class="p1">“I love my green eyes. I rarely see sea green eyes on people. Sometimes I read about them in books but I almost never see them actually. I love my freckles surprisingly. They’re cute and my mom used to tell me that every time I laugh I get a new one and I laugh a lot. It’s probably just because I spend a lot of time outside. I love that I can still fit into the kids clothes because there clothes are much cuter than the adult ones it seems.” My self love teacher nodded her head with a small smile and a wave of her hand to keep going.</p><p class="p1">“I-I love that…” Calvin smiled softly at me raising his hand from the corner of the room. I laughed a little bit at him.</p><p class="p1">“Yes Calvin something to add?” I hadn’t even realized that I was walking straighter than I had in my entire life. My mom would have been so proud of me if she were here right now. The shoes actually surprisingly hadn’t started to hurt yet.</p><p class="p1">“I really love the sound of your voice, I consider that a physical quality. It’s like all soft and quiet until you get to talking about something that you love!! Then it steadily raises until you’re basically yelling but it’s still quiet.” He added onto the conversation and I blushed a light pink at the idea.</p><p class="p1">“Ditto on the voice thing but not as creepy.” Colton teased putting his arm around his girlfriend who sat on his lap.</p><p class="p1">“I love my hands. I love that they can draw as well as they can and that I am fully ambidextrous. I am mostly left handed though thanks to my mom. I love my feet because they can dance many different styles.” Adriana nodded her head listening to me and I looked back in the mirror. Walking straight was so much easier surprisingly in heels I usually had a really strange walk but this was actually really helping me out.</p><p class="p1">“Anything else that you can think of?” She asked me and I shook my head and she just smiled softly at me.</p><p class="p1">“Well I can think of another thing that your hands and voice can do!! You can play piano and sing really well. You clearly know a lot about music theory and training your voice to get a particular sound out. That is a really hard thing to do and you should be really proud of yourself even if you don’t think that it’s anything that special. Did you ever take lessons?” I nodded my head with a fifty fifty hand motion.</p><p class="p1">“For piano yes because I had to be able to learn to read sheet music. I taught myself to sing.” Her eyes widened and I could see that smile widen.</p><p class="p1">“Then that’s even more incredible!! You taught yourself to sing just like heroes and I can’t sing to save my life otherwise I would have joined you guys over here. I sound like some kind of dying animal. I’d rather watch him sing anyways.” My heart squeezed when Colton kissed his girlfriend.</p><p class="p1">“I love how big your heart is. You love so openly and so genuinely that it’s hard to see a single bad bone in your body. Some people might be a little bit suspicious of your kind heart because they aren’t used to people being genuine and true about their intentions.” My costar reasoned and I could see the softness on his face that told me he truly meant what he was saying.</p><p class="p1">“Okay, I think that’s enough for right now but do you feel more confident now when you walk around? You certainly look less like a freshly born deer.” She teased me and I rolled my eyes a little bit.</p><p class="p1">“Right, give me the big guns.” She handed me the ones that I would probably wind up wearing for Audrey.</p><p class="p1">“I know that you can do it sweetheart!! You’ve been doing great so far. I’m really proud of you!!” Bernie encouraged me from the peanut gallery and I smiled softly at him taking off the flame ones.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll have to get you your own eventually, these are one of my favorites. Mostly because I feel like I can conquer the world in them. But since your aesthetic is flame I might have to get you a pair of them for your opening night performance. I’ll also need to get you some in your shoe size so are you up for maybe a shopping trip at some point?” I nodded my head with a little bit of a nervous smile on my face.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll go with you if you want me to!!” Calvin encouraged me and I looked at him a little bit surprised by the fact that he was so willing to just go to the mall with me.</p><p class="p1">“I would appreciate that, I’m sorry if you don’t really want to go.” I apologized and I saw Calvin shake his head animatedly.</p><p class="p1">“If I didn’t want to go I wouldn’t have offered.” He reminded me sitting down next to me and I carefully stood up.</p><p class="p1">“These are actually not that bad!! I’m able to walk solidly in these.” I held my head up high and Adriana cheered for me.</p><p class="p1">“Yas girl work it you look amazing!! The best thing about heels is that they give you the lift and the height that you need in order to work what you’ve got. If I didn’t wear them all the time the height difference between me and him would be astronomical.” She joked jerking a thumb at her boyfriend and I couldn’t help but love these shoes. For one of the first times in my life I felt like I could actually be myself and own it. It was something that I had always struggled with. In practice it was actually really amazing getting to feel like I was finally achieving something. Dancing in these would be difficult thankfully there wasn’t any dancing for Audrey to do so that took that weight off of my shoulders.</p><p class="p1"><em>“I know Seymour’s the greatest, but I’m dating a semi-sadist. So I’ve got a black eye and my arm’s in a cast…” </em>I sang the familiar song for the first time in heels and for the first time since I was gifted the role I felt like my favorite ditzy store worker on Skid Row.</p><p class="p1">“You were right Elise, the heels really do help you come into that character. I’m proud of you. I know that this has been a challenge for you but you did really well.” Calvin encouraged me and I smiled softly at him.</p><p class="p1">“You two are really too cute!!” Adrianna squealed from her spot on her boyfriend’s knee and Colton just smiled softly at her.</p><p class="p1">“Do they remind you of us baby?” I blushed a bright pink and looked down at my shorts that I was wearing.</p><p class="p1">“Don’t go full turtle on us sugar you were doing so good a second ago!! I’m sorry for teasing. It’s just you really are adorable together. The golden boy and the golden girl making history together.” I saw Calvin roll his eyes at her but I could see that he wasn’t in a much better state than I was.</p><p class="p1">“Remember when I mentioned how amazing she was? I take it all back. Adriana you are the worst person alive.” She clutched her heart and gasped in agony while I couldn’t help but laugh a little bit.</p><p class="p1">“You probably need these shoes back and I should be getting home. Thanks again Adriana. I really appreciate everything that you have done for me.” I thanked her taking off her shoes and she hugged me tightly.</p><p class="p1">“Don’t even worry about it sugar. I’m proud of you. You’ve come really far for a beginner in terms of self confidence. It’s a tough road ahead but I know that you can do it. I believe in you babe. You’ll be beautiful up there on that stage and I’ll be cheering for you from the front row.” She encouraged me giving me a thumbs up. I hugged her back and when she pulled away from the hug Peyton waddled over to me.</p><p class="p1">“I like her kid. She was able to help you out more than we ever could. Can we go home now?” I nodded my head and I picked him up as well as my backpack.</p><p class="p1">“Hey Elise!! Wait for me, I’m coming.” I heard Calvin’s call to wait for him and I paused wondering what he could want.</p><p class="p1">“Are you nervous for our presentation tomorrow? I just wanted to make sure that you weren’t having any lingering anxieties.” He asked me and I shook my head. For the first time in my life I was not nervous about giving a group presentation.</p><p class="p1">“No actually. I’m actually really looking forward to doing the project with you Calvin. I know that we worked really hard on it together and I know that we’ll do the best we can on our group project.” I encouraged myself and I saw his smile that instantly brought me comfort. He followed me out of the building opening the door for me.</p><p class="p1">“Alright well if you wake up in a bad mood or something you just text me and let me know so that we can accommodate for that.” He reminded me with a wave and went off in the other direction. I went off to my house and Bernie came out of my pocket on my shorts.</p><p class="p1">“I’m really, really proud of your progress today sweetheart. You did really well!!” He encouraged me and I put him carefully onto my shoulder.</p><p class="p1">“You really did Elise. I am so proud of you for being able to actually state more things that you loved about yourself then we asked less than a week ago. It’s progress and to me that just means that you’ll be able to hold your head up higher than anybody else.” I smiled brightly at Harold who was giving me two claws up.</p><p class="p1">“You deserve a special treat, where should we go?” Peyton wondered aloud and I laughed a little bit at my best friend.</p><p class="p1">“How about just to the store and get some snacks for my bedroom?” I asked the penguin and he nodded his head while I checked my family’s shopping list for the week. I let them know that I was doing the family shopping and got texts of thanks as I stopped at a Ralph’s. I put Peyton down in the cart and he squawked a little bit in indignation.</p><p class="p1">“Kid I am not a baby!!” I laughed at him buckling him in anyways as Bernie scooted down to sit down next to him.</p><p class="p1">“What do you want rabbit? Tell me it’s not more hugs didn’t I give you enough the other day?” I laughed a little bit shaking my head at the two of them and their playful bickering.</p><p class="p1">“One can never have enough hugs cutie that’s just a fact.” Harold just sighed a little bit and I could see the exasperation on his face.</p><p class="p1">“What do you all want in terms of snacks? I can bake carrot cake cookies when I get back home?” I offered Bernie who instantly nodded his head enthusiastically as I picked up carrots to make his favorite treat.</p><p class="p1">“Some ice cream.” Peyton requested and I quirked up my eyebrow in front of him pressing my hand.</p><p class="p1">“Some ice cream what?” I tapped my foot and he muttered please as I grabbed my favorite snacks as well adding them to the cart.</p><p class="p1">“I’m alright with whatever you’re getting sunshine we can share!! Besides I see some popcorn in there and that’s my favorite snack.” I laughed a little bit before rounding the corner and getting the rest of the items that my parents asked for from the store. I paid for the items and walked the rest of the way home.</p><p class="p1">“I’m back!!” I called into the empty house and seeing that my parents must have taken my brother out for cupcakes because I saw the first place certificate from the science fair that we had won together. He had mostly made his assignment by himself. I had just been there to lend an educated hand and help him out with that. I started making Bernie’s cookies and Peyton just sat down on the counter keeping me silent company until I put the cookies in the oven and started working on the frosting.</p><p class="p1">“Your brother is really intelligent for his age. He gets it from you.” Peyton told me and I got the penguin a bowl of ice cream.</p><p class="p1">“I didn’t really do much. All I really did was offer him a helping hand with instructions because they were hard for him to understand. But the radio was his idea and I loved getting to help make it with him. Dad used to help me with all my science projects when I was his age and I wanted to have that experience with him.” I reasoned and Peyton just looked me dead in the eyes sighing a little bit.</p><p class="p1">“Just take the compliment kid. Even though you’ve gotten better we still gotta work on that.” I laughed a little bit kissing his forehead. I grabbed an apple, some cheese and crackers and made myself a little mini cheese board.</p><p class="p1">“Don’t try to make yourself into a super maker Pey. Some things I’ll just never really be good at. Come on grumpy let’s go. I don’t have any homework for once and if think that I am not going to take advantage of this situation than you don’t know me at all.” I went up the stairs to my bedroom and saw that Harold and Bernie were running around and making a blanket fort.</p><p class="p1">“Aw thanks you guys. I might need to go back down and make more snacks. Your cookies are in the oven Bernie and the cream cheese frosting.” I heard the ding of the oven and I went down the stairs making the cookie sandwiches for the bunny. I heard the front door open.</p><p class="p1">“SISSY!” My brother came barreling towards me and gave me a big hug. I easily hugged him back kissing his forehead.</p><p class="p1">“I am so proud of you, my little scientist. You did so great! I know that you’ll become a little scientist in the future.” I encouraged him handing him a cookie under the counter as he laughed a little bit taking it to his room.</p><p class="p1">“How did the heel wearing go?” My mom asked me curiously taking one of my cookies and humming a little bit.</p><p class="p1">“It actually went surprisingly well! I feel a lot better now that I know that I can wear heels when I play Audrey.” I told her and she kissed my cheek with a small smile on her face. She leaned against the counter.</p><p class="p1">“I’m proud of you sweetheart. I know that was a challenge for you but I can tell that you came home feeling a lot better than you did when you left this morning. Do you feel more confident now?” I nodded my head with a small laugh tying my hair back and grabbing a glass of pineapple, orange and guava juice from the fridge.</p><p class="p1">“I do actually. Adriana was really nice to me and super helpful with my self esteem and confidence. I feel like I can actually play Audrey now and not feel like I didn’t work hard to earn it.” My mom smiled softly at me getting a cup for herself and I poured her some of my favorite juice as well.</p><p class="p1">“We’re just doing a free for all for dinner tonight and celebrating your brother’s success tomorrow since it’s a Friday.” She reminded me and I sighed a little bit nodding my head as she just hugged me.</p><p class="p1">“I’m so proud of you too sweetheart. I know that you worked really hard to earn your spot here on the drama club. I also know that you’re finally making friends and you have no idea what that means to me. You were always my little girl and I’m so proud of you.” She praised me and I melted into the hug from my mom.</p><p class="p1">“I’m proud of myself mom. It’s been great so far and I know that I’m only going to have more fun the more time that I spend with them. Colton is just lovely and so is Calvin you’d really like them a lot mom. I’m just tired it’s been a long day. I also have that presentation tomorrow.” I sighed and she just smiled softly at me giving me a thumbs up.</p><p class="p1">“I know that you can do it Elise!! You’ve yet to let me down so far in your life and I know that as long as you do your best you’ll be fine.” She encouraged me and I smiled softly at her taking the rest of my treats upstairs.</p><p class="p1">“Hey kid, we left this spot open for you!!” Peyton barked as I closed the door to my room and I smiled softly at the open spot on my bed next to Harold.</p><p class="p1">“I’m coming.” Sitting down with my friends at the end of this exhausting and fulfilling day with my friends and some cartoons was probably one of the best feelings in the world. All the stress and anxiety I was feeling about tomorrow ebbed away until all I felt was contentment and happiness.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi all!! Sorry for the lengthy wait again I have been trying to get a 200 page fic out by Valentines Day *waves hands around mysteriously*. This chapter was a lot of fun for me to write because I feel like learning to love yourself is one of the hardest messages that one needs to eventually learn. It is one that I still struggle with and I hope that I did an alright job portraying it here.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Episode Five: Group Presentation, Sensory Overload?!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Hey Elise, can I borrow a piece of paper?” Calvin asked me and I nodded my head before even truly thinking about it going for my sketchbook that I still had in my backpack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure thing!” I gave him a piece of it and was so lost in my own little world that I would have heard his gasp of shock of Peyton hadn’t kicked me at the same time with his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now you’ve gone and done it kid. He can see us now. Actually this might not be that bad. Now he can see me glaring at him.” He rubbed his flippers together menacingly and Bernie peaked his head out of my pocket a little bit nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that Harold?!” Calvin asked me in shock and most of the class turned towards me in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sup my dude, that would be me.” It amazed me how calm Harold could be given every situation. He never once showed any sense of anxiety or dread about anything only ever faced the world with a bright smile on his face. I heard the rest of the class collective mutter who’s Harold and turn to face me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Garcia is everything okay? Do you think that Miss Elise needs a little walk?” He nodded his head. I knew that we weren’t getting out of this conversation. I would definitely be giving the sketchbook to my little sister now there was no doubt of where this was going.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on Bernie you can come out right?” I encouraged him needing to feel the warmth of his presence right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it safe?” He asked me nervously and I nodded my head as he peaked his head out of my hoodie pocket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s safe honey he isn’t angry. Just come out please. I need your cuddles to get through this conversation.”  I told him and he came fully out of my pocket and snuggled into my cheek. I smiled softly at him as Calvin joined us outside the classroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So how are you guys real and how can I see you guys? Am I dreaming? Because if I am dreaming then this is one super adorable and two I’m not even surprised at this point.” I laughed at Calvin shaking my head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are not dreaming but I will definitely tease you about that later. I might have accidentally given you a piece of this sketchbook paper that when I draw anything on it comes to life. This little bundle of grumpy in my arms is my best friend Peyton, on my shoulder is Bernie he’s a bunny that can perform magic tricks mostly sleight of hand and he’s an epic card player. Up there is obviously Harold whom you already know about.” I introduced him to my friend and I could see Bernie’s little ear twitch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay that bunny is the cutest thing that I have ever seen in my entire life. Hi there friend.” Calvin introduced himself to Bernie as he got out a carrot from his backpack and handed it to the little rabbit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s a little bit of the shy type when you first meet him. He’s amazing though.” Bernie took the carrot and nuzzled against my shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the amazing one not me sweetheart.” He reminded me and I laughed a little bit scratching behind his ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s adorable!! I guess I should just forget that this happened? Would that be for the best in this scenario?” Calvin put his hands into his pockets looking at the three creatures that had been the closest friends that I had ever had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think that it would be my dude. I mean this is just me personally but I think that you’re a great kid! I’ve been waiting for a long time to get Elise to make some real friends so that she could learn more about herself. If anything within the past couple of days the one thing that I’ve learned about her is that she is totally capable of making her own friends.” Harold reasoned as usual being the voice of reason of the group. For too many years I’d straight up panic given the opportunity to do anything else. It took me way too long for it to eventually occur to me that there was no way to live my life. I had only had friends for not even two weeks yet but already I would do anything for them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m actually being told by a dragon that I’m a great kid… this is amazing. You’re amazing Elise.” I flushed a bright pink color shaking my head animatedly at the praise that I was receiving from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I’m really not that great. I just have an overactive imagination. There’s nothing really that much more to it.” Peyton squirmed a little bit in my arms glaring at me with a hard line on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop that kid, you know that nothing comes of it when you talk bad about yourself.” He lectured and I laughed a little bit self deprecatingly at the penguin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s a bit harsh on the outside but he’s got a soft gooey center trust me.” I told Calvin and I could see Peyton protest a little bit until I got him out a cookie that he took grumbling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can definitely see that he cares about you a lot Elise. All of them do but for him it’s different.” He mentioned and I laughed a little bit looking down at the cutesy penguin in my arms nodding my head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love him too no matter how much he gives me grief. He mostly just is like a worrying mother hen.” Peyton grumbled at me and I couldn’t help but smile softly even though he was trying to act all big and scary. I knew the truth that inside of him he was just a soft grumpy old man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pretty much like my older sister then. She worries about me a lot, mostly the fact that no matter what I seem insistent that I don’t want to run the </span>
  <em>
    <span>panaderia. </span>
  </em>
  <span>My entire family thinks that this acting thing is just a joke that it won’t last long. They come to all of my shows and they love my performances but it’s always been the idea of one day he’ll grow out of it and take over the family bakery. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Aye dios mio </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’m sorry Elise I’m just dumping all of this on you. I had a fight last night with my parents about my future again.” He apologized to me and I shook my head with a small smile on my face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t apologize about it Calvin. I understand. Well not that I fight with my parents, more that I can see why that would be difficult for you and I’m sorry I start rambling when I get nervous I’ll stop talking in three…two…one.” I took several deep breaths and Bernie just patted my shoulder with a small smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay sweetie just take your time, you’ll be alright.” He encouraged me as he always did when I found myself getting like this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to be nervous about anything. Why are you nervous? Of course you don’t have to tell me if you aren’t wanting to talk about it.” He mentioned off handedly but my heart warmed at the idea that he was at least trying to look out for me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well to be honest I was worried that you’d be more freaked out about seeing these guys. I was afraid that you would think that I was crazy or something….” He shook his head animatedly at me, his eyes wide and frantic with worry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?! No, no, no I don’t think that you’re crazy not at all, I think that they’re amazing and creative and incredible. It’s almost that I’m more in this state of shock than anything else. I can’t believe that I’m actually able to see them, let alone that they can all hear and interact with me.” Peyton glared harshly at him and I watched Calvin stagger a little bit farther back from me and my best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s right, move at least three feet away from her at all times.” I glared at the penguin lightly flicking his wing for being rude. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be rude to him Pey, he’s nice we’ve been through this. I’m sorry about him by the way. He’s protective over me.” I explained the situation for why Peyton was acting the way that he was towards him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s sweet, it means that he cares about you. I don’t think many members of my family would do that with me for very long.” I smiled sadly at my friend scooting over the remaining space next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well you never really know. I’m definitely like that with my little sister Nicola. Anybody who I can sense is a bad person best stay three feet away from her at all costs.” My friend laughed a little bit at me. I couldn’t help but think about how cute his laugh was, although I haven't a clue as to why.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When you put it that way, it describes my relationship with my younger sister pretty well.” I looked at Calvin pressing my index fingers together in a stemming motion </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So do you hate baking?” He shook his head with a small frown on his face drawing his knees in a little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t say hate, it’s a rather strong word. But I don’t want to do it for the rest of my life either. It’s something that I like doing to pass the time. When I have the right motivation I can make something truly delicious. I can make a </span>
  <em>
    <span>dulce de leche </span>
  </em>
  <span>cheesecake that could blow your mind but most of the time I’m the black sheep of the family. I’d rather rehearse the script for the next show than go and work my shift at the bakery. It might sound selfish but it’s my opinion.” I blinked a little bit in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dulce de what now?” Calvin laughed openly at me, it was the first time that I had ever heard him laugh that har at anything that I had said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Dulce de leche </span>
  </em>
  <span>it’s a type of caramel is the best way that I can describe it. It’s made by slowly heating sweetened milk with sugar. You can basically add that to anything and it’ll be </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfecto. </span>
  </em>
  <span>It’s my favorite thing about baking is making things with it. That and decorating sugar cookies for </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dia De Los Muertos.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>I smiled brightly because if anything I knew what that holiday was due to my love of Pixar’s movie Coco.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know that holiday! It’s where you honor your ancestors that passed away. I love Coco.” I told him and Calvin’s eyes positively lit up with a passionate fire to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw that movie with </span>
  <em>
    <span>mi familia</span>
  </em>
  <span> it was a huge deal!! My great grandmother came as well, she reminds me a lot of mama Coco. I cried at the end. It’s one of the reasons that I had this renewed vigor to get better at the guitar.” He explained to me and I smiled brightly at him as we talked about one of our favorite movies to watch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You play the guitar? That’s so cool! I play alto clarinet, the violin, and the piano. Needless to say that I loved a lot of instruments growing up.” I rubbed the back of my neck a little bit awkwardly and my friend just listened to me talk about my favorite things to play music on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is there a specific thing that you blame it on? The thing that got you into music?” I rubbed the back of my neck a little bit awkwardly and Harold flew over to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We used to watch The Wiggles a lot together, didn't we sunshine?” I nodded my head a little bit embarrassed by the mention of my childhood show. I had desperately tried to get my younger siblings into it but there was no such luck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s true, they were my introduction to the world of music and dance as well. That was where I learned that not only was I passionate about dance but it was fun too. Even though it never brought me any friends really it was an activity that I could do on my own. That’s probably why I learned so many instruments as well. I preferred solitude in a lot of ways so that’s why I insisted on learning new things that I could do on my own.” I explained a little bit about how I had spent my childhood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope that this doesn’t sound insulting when I ask this and if it does then you don’t have to answer it. Were you ever lonely?” He asked me and I sighed a little bit because it was true. A lot of nights I had spent feeling lonely and forgotten by the rest of the world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Most of the time the loneliness came to me at night when I couldn’t draw anymore. But a lot of the time these guys kept me company.” I told Calvin and he smiled softly when Bernie crawled off of my arm and onto his leg.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have any more carrots?” The small bunny asked him and Calvin just chuckled softly handing Bernie the bag.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You might come to regret that decision later. He’s a clinger.” Peyton told him dryly and I saw Bernie lightly shove his right foot into Peyton’s face on his way back up to my shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That hurt you clingy bunny!!” Peyton whined and I couldn’t help but laugh a little bit at the innocent look that Bernie shot him on his way back up to his original resting spot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my, did I accidentally kick you with my powerful rabbit feet on the way back up here? Why I am ever so sorry. Maybe you should stop being such a grumpy old man and actually let Elise have her own friends that don’t have an attitude problem.” Harold sighed pinching the bridge of his nose with his claws as if to say here we go again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t have an attitude problem!! You’re just super annoying.” I heard a soft laugh and looked over Calvin who was holding his sides. He was laughing so hard. My heart skipped a beat just looking at how happy he was. I could tell that it was rare for him to laugh this hard at anything but it just made me so happy to be in the presence of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am a delight to be around and people love me. All you have to offer is being a grump 24/7 and it’s exhausting. The only time that you’re not whining or angry is when I’m cuddling you. I’d think that somebody has some issues and it’s not me.” I sighed a little bit at the both of them. I don’t think that I would ever get used to the constant bickering and fighting. It made me just want to curl up and ignore the both of them when they acted like this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are they like this all the time?” Calvin asked me and I nodded my head with a sad smile on my face as I took one of Bernie’s carrots gently feeding it to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m afraid so, now you get to hear all their fighting. Which means that I won’t be the only one that needs to put up with it anymore!” I cheered half heartedly and Peyton just looked up at communicating with me that he was sorry with his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know that you don’t mean to constantly get into fights, Peyton. It’s just not really something that I enjoy hearing all the time. It stresses me out. It’s hard for me to explain what about it sets me off but every time that you two get into your little spats I have a little sensory overload. It’s a me problem not a you problem.” I tried to explain to the little penguin that it wasn’t his fault that all the fighting stressed me out and I saw the little bits of sadness in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it all loud noises or is it more along the lines that they’re supposed to be friends and why are they fighting?” Calvin asked me and I sighed a little bit making a fifty fifty hand motion. I leaned my head back against the wall as Harold gave me an encouraging thumbs up to continue talking to the other boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s more that they are fighting in general. I don’t know who to side with when they get like this. All it really does is stress me out and that causes me to freak out. My sensory overloads aren’t as dominating as they used to be when I was a kid. Most of the time now they’re just little things where I’ll clam up and I’ll have to sit down. It might happen during the presentation… this has been a lot so far today.” I mentioned to the boy next to me who only sent me an easy smile hitting his shoe softly against mine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay if it winds up not working out so great for you Elise. I know that you did the best that you could given the circumstances and that it was a lot of work for you. I’m proud of you for coming through for me at least this far. This project has been a lot of fun!! I never really looked that in depth into these kinds of things. To me it was just a good book, a reason for escaping the traumatic nature of our world.” He reasoned and I laughed a little bit pushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear. I stemmed my fingers against the hem of my shorts a little bit nervously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To me that book was the closest thing that I had to a best friend for a long time. I’ll always somewhat be indebted to it. Not just because I have the author's signature on it but because it’s just important to me that’s all. It was my introduction to dragons and the world that they all live in. I definitely wouldn’t have created him if I hadn’t loved the book as much as I did.” I smiled softly at Harold who puffed out his chest jokingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that would have been a tragedy because I am awesome.” He joked and I laughed at my best friend. Even though he was just joking around I couldn’t help but think of just how right he really was. </span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then that would really be sad for you. Was that your introduction to how the world of fantasy works?” I nodded my head with a small smile on my face tapping my feet against the floor in a soothing rhythmic motion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was, I mean unless we’re counting Alice In Wonderland which was about a year before that. My dad read that to me when I was four. He’s always been the one that read me books because if somebody works less hard it’s him. My mom is a nonstop workaholic almost from nine until five she’s at her desk.” I mentioned to him how my family worked and Calvin just nodded his head in understanding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At the </span>
  <em>
    <span>panaderia </span>
  </em>
  <span>we all take shifts. Everyone does their part to keep the family business going and one day one of us will inherit it. It’s probably going to wind up being me since I’m the eldest.” Calvin said sadly and I looked at the boy next to me my heart aching. It saddened me that he thought that he couldn’t achieve his dream. He was such an amazing and talented actor that it broke my heart when he told me that he thought that his dream would never come true.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My family doesn’t have anything like that. There’s not much to it really. All my parents want for me is to get good grades and maybe try and make some friends which I did. The rules are mostly just to do your best and if you struggle with something that we talk about it. For example, I might seem smart but in reality I’m awful at biology. I can’t do it to save my life.” I tried to level with my friend and he just snickered which turned into a full laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Biology is hard for everyone </span>
  <em>
    <span>amiga</span>
  </em>
  <span> , that's not just you. I’m not counting that as a flaw since that’s just a universal truth that biology is the hardest class. In my opinion it should not be offered to high schoolers because it just puts way too much stress onto my shoulders.” He tried to joke but I could see that he was truly being honest with me about how hard it was for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you ever need my help with any classes other than that one then I’ll do my best to help you.” I encouraged him and he just sighed running a hand through his soft, fluffy looking hair. Bernie finished his bag of carrots leaning against my shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should we head back?” Harold wondered aloud and I nodded my head. I really did not want to do that group presentation right about now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Might as well, need a hand up?” Calvin offered his hand which I shyly took and I felt the zap of electricity that made me quickly yank it back with a bright pink blush on my face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y-Yeah thanks for that.” Peyton just glared harshly at the boy in front of me and Bernie swung his feet against my shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know that your presentation will go fine sweetheart! I believe in you!” He encouraged me and I smiled softly at the encouraging bunny on my shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you do really well on it then you can get your treat for the week.” Harold reminded me and I smiled brightly at the idea of getting an ice cream sandwich for me and my favorite penguin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go halfsies with you on an ice cream sandwich in a little bit. I promise.” That caused the frown to turn right side up a little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So he loves ice cream?” Calvin looked at the penguin with a small smile. I knew that he was trying to placate him and I couldn’t blame him. I hoped that Peyton would eventually get his aggression out of his system.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like the Reese’s ones and I’ll share them with him. My parents give me a weekly ten dollars so that I can treat myself. I want to do that today. I’m already a little bit on edge due to me accidentally giving you the wrong piece of paper earlier. I’m sorry about that by the way.” I apologized to him and Calvin just blinked a little bit at me in confusion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you apologizing to me? I think it’s just about the coolest thing ever!! I mean you’re so creative and amazing Elise.” He praised and I felt my cheeks turn about seven shades of bright red.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m really not…” I trailed off and Harold just sighed pinching his eyebrows together a little bit in annoyance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll work on that later. Sunshine still sucks at taking a compliment as what it actually means for her. It doesn’t matter how genuine the compliment might seem she still won’t take it.” I shook my head trying to get the pinkness off of my cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that’s okay, a lot of people can’t take compliments. I’m one of them, if anybody tries to compliment me I usually just deny it until the end of time.” I cracked a small smile as Calvin held the door to the classroom open for me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Elise, Calvin are you two ready for your presentation?” I nodded my head grabbing my favorite book from my desk and Calvin got our powerpoint up and running. I felt him stand next to me and he smiled softly at me. That smile so soft and encouraging it made me feel like I could conquer the world just by being in its presence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For our presentation we decided over our first conversation to talk about one of the biggest names in fantasy novels, The Earthsea saga. The saga is six novels all together but for this powerpoint we focused on arguably one of the better known volumes, The Farthest Shore.” I introduced our book and Calvin flipped the side showing the class a picture of Ursula K Le Guin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The author of the series was Ursula K Le Guin. She became one of the best known female authors for science fiction and children’s literature in general. There weren’t many writers that were willing to act independently that were also female at the time. She was one of the first that took the world by storm with her creative ideas and her words.” I smiled softly pushing a lock of blonde hair behind my ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Farthest Shore follows Arren the main character as he goes on a hunt for why the world seems to be losing it’s affection for magic. People are getting sick, forgetting spells or songs and they just seem all together amiss. Magic is something that once tied all these people together so the hunt is on to figure out what is going wrong with the world. In a story like this it’s customary to have dragons but this was the first time that I really saw them in any form of media and I’ve been obsessed with them ever since.” I heard whispering from the back of the class and due to my already heightened nervousness I could completely hear what the girls were saying.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“What could Calvin possibly see in her? I mean she is wearing the ugliest clothes, she’s a nerd, has too many freckles and is clearly mentally unstable.” </em>
  </b>
  <span>I was already falling to my knees before my brain had processed what was happening. Everything around me was suddenly getting way louder than it was three seconds ago. I was crumbling to the ground before I could even stop myself and if Calvin hadn’t caught me before it actually happened then it would have gotten extremely ugly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Elise, can you breathe for me?” I took shallow breaths and he knelt down breathing deeper through his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No just like this. I want you to try and take deeper breaths for me.” I followed the sound of his breathing and he smiled softly at me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good job, alright just take some more deep breaths for me. It’s going to be alright. I’m right here. This is going to be okay, I’m so proud of you for trying.” My partner encouraged me and I felt the tears escape from my eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know what happened?” I shook my head because I couldn’t talk yet and Harold flew above my head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Try signing it to me sunshine. I can help you.” He reminded me and I used sign language to tell him what those girls had said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She said that those girls in the back row were whispering about her. She hears better when she’s on the cusp of a sensory overload. Do you think that you can finish your presentation?” I shook my head at Harold and Calvin glared at the girls in the back of the classroom that were talking about me in the back row.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susan, Imelda I should have known that it was you two.” Bernie carefully climbed up my shoulder and comfortingly nuzzled against my cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry that happened to you sweetheart you worked so hard on the presentation too. I know that subject matter meant a lot to you.” He reminded me and Peyton came waddling over to me giving me a hug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did the best that you could kid and I’m proud of you. I know that must have been really hard for you to get up there at all.” I put my hands over my ears and I stiffened a little bit and I heard even more whispering around me. </span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“What’s wrong with her?” “Why is she acting like that?” “Maybe she is mentally unstable.” </em>
  </b>
  <span>I felt tears come to my eyes as Mr. Murano stood at the front of the classroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should all be extremely ashamed of yourselves for the way that you’ve acted today.” He lectured his students and everybody stopped whispering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am changing this topic of discussion to something that we clearly need to discuss. If Elise was with it I would ask her to give this talk to all of you but due to your hurtful whispering she’s not feeling her best right now.” Calvin came to sit next to me and Harold sighed a little bit brushing the hair out of my face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay sunshine. I’m sorry that I didn’t recognize the signs of your trauma earlier on in the morning. This is not your fault for freaking out and you are going to be alright. You might need to go home or do something in order to get through the rest of the day. If you do need to go home then it’s not your fault. It is the fault of others and not of you. I know that you’re going through a lot right now but I love you so very much.” He reminded me and I smiled softly at the dragon. I hugged my dragon best friend tightly and he just smiled softly at me. His soft fur had the best texture and he just ran his claws softly through my hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, we’re all here for you.” He reminded me and Calvin squeezed my hand softly calming me down. Mr. Murano turned off his projector and wrote down the word aspergers on his whiteboard. Calvin put his arm around my shoulders pulling me into his side with a small smile on his face. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He smells like passion fruit and the ocean… </span>
  </em>
  <span>I melted at the smell as I finally started to come back to myself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does anybody know what the term aspergers means?” Our teacher asked the class and most of them blinked confusedly at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What it means is that the person who has it struggles to relate with other people. Sometimes they have special interests it can be different and sometimes they aren’t what you would expect. Some of them love video games, some of them love art and fantasy things. Some of them are particular about the way that they dress. Some of them hate clinging clothing and hate the feeling of scratchy material. Our young Elise is working really hard to do her best. She struggles a lot of the time and sometimes she makes mistakes in terms of relating to other peers. Calvin is the first friend that she’s ever had. Right?” I nodded my head and Peyton snuggled into me and I kissed his forehead with a small smile on my face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“People have always ridiculed her so in some ways she’s used to it. But I will not stand for people bullying her when I can stand up for my student. This is something that I don’t think is fair. People shouldn’t be bullied for the simple idea that they are different and not so good at talking to people. Having aspergers does not make you mentally unstable. It just makes you </span>
  <em>
    <span>different. </span>
  </em>
  <span>People who are different make this world a better place. They can change the world one dream at a time. What is your dream Elise?” Mr. Murano asked me and I smiled nervously at my teacher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I want to make prosthetics for people that need them.” I played with my fingers and my teacher smiled brightly at me writing down the future occupation that I dreamed of having.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something else that I have found through my years of teaching is that every student that I have had who was on the spectrum, even though they are all different, they all have one thing in common. They have huge hearts. Hearts that are bigger than the people around them. I think that something all of you can learn is to have a kinder heart than you did today. I would like tomorrow for Calvin and Elise to redo their presentation if she is feeling up to it. I want for you all to show them the kindness in your hearts. You need to learn something from this experience. That being showing the people who are different that they are people too. I think that what you all did today was extremely cruel and I am extremely disappointed in all of you.” Mr. Murano lectured fervently and I found that most of our classmates actually looked ashamed of the way that they were acting towards me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is anybody else here not neurotypical? Being neurodivergent means simply that your brain works in a different way. If you don’t have any disorders then you are considered to be neurotypical, not that there's anything wrong with that. People on the spectrum also refer to themselves as neurodivergent.” He asked the class and Calvin tentatively raised his hand in the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have anxiety, both social and generalized. It just doesn’t relate to theater. In fact theater helped me get better with it so that I was able to make friends.” Calvin explained to the rest of the class and nobody else raised their hand. This was a relatively small class comparatively to the rest of my classes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m texting Colton and Adriana. They'll help you out as well. I think you’re going to need some reinforcements for this.” Calvin reasoned with me and texted the two seniors when the bell rang her our heads.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you Calvin…” I trailed off and he just smiled softly at me squeezing my hand and Peyton just glared half heartedly at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s really no problem, it’s the best thing that I could think of to be honest. They’re really good at cheering people up and I thought that they’d be the best people for the job.” I followed him down the stairs where I saw the girl sitting next to her boyfriend and she quickly leapt towards me to give me a tight hug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh you poor thing, come here I’ve got you. I know how hard those pesky things can be, believe me. I’ve had my fair share of sensory issues over the years. Never been properly diagnosed but I’m sure I’d come out with something. I’ve just seen too many doctors over the course of my life that’s all.” I chuckled lightly at the woman that was giving me the almost too tight hug. I couldn’t help but hug her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t smother her sweetheart, she can’t breathe. Believe me I know she hugs like nobody else in the world and I love them but they aren’t for everyone.” Colton lightly ruffled my hair trying to slightly ease his girlfriend off of me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well excuse me for trying to comfort her.” Adrianna crossed her arms and Colton paused with a small chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know that you were baby but sometimes it can be just a little bit much. I could tell that you were crushing her and I was just trying to help her out. I’m sorry if that came across as rude. I really didn’t mean to. Forgive me?” It was the first time that I had really ever seen a man apologize. For most of my childhood my parents' fights were resolved when I was asleep so I never really heard the apologies. I just knew when things were truly fixed that they would go back to normal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I forgive you, I’m sorry if that was too hard for you sugar. I should have been more mindful of my strength.” I shook my head at the woman that had basically become something of a hero to me within the last week.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not your fault, any other day I would have preferred that sort of hug. I had my first interaction with people who were on Calvin’s fan club.” Adrianna muttered something that I couldn’t pick up tapping her high heel against the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to take care of the situation right now. I just wanted to make sure that you were taken care of.” Colton chuckled softly ruffling my friend’s hair with a teasing glint in his eyes as Calvin walked in the opposite direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on sugar, I for one do not want to miss this. Not if I can help it.” She took me by the hand and kissed her boyfriend gently as if that was the final thing to mend their mini spat from a few minutes ago. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Calvin does have quite the protective streak and I can’t wait to see how he reacts during this one since they did come at a direct shot for his girlfriend.” I blushed a bright pink about to open my mouth and protest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He knows that you two aren’t dating yet honey but believe me it’s only a matter of time.” Adrianna added into the conversation and I chuckled a little bit thinking that Peyton would definitely have some things to say about this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s actually not such a bad guy for you…” I heard the softhearted penguin mention and I blinked in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doth my long ears deceive me? Did you just admit that I was right this entire time?” Bernie teased and I saw Peyton glare at him harshly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You must be hearing things rabbit, I didn’t say anything.” I smiled softly. Peyton might act all hard but I knew the truth that he was as soft as butter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad that you have finally given up on glaring at him constantly Pey. I’m sure that he wasn’t the biggest fan of that.” He scoffed in my arms and I looked at Colton and Adrianna ahead of me who looked as if they were lost in their own love bubble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you think that I’m giving up on the glaring simply because I’ve accepted him as a future boyfriend for you then you’re flat wrong.” I rolled my eyes at him when I heard a very familiar voice but laced with a tone that I had never heard before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can handle you guys making a fan club for me even though I don’t think that I deserve it but what I will not stand for you making fun of my friend. She doesn’t deserve it and you two knew that she wasn’t mentally unstable. What even does that mean?” Adrianna put her fist in the air pumping it twice. I smiled softly at her shaking my head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It means that she’s freaky and weird.” One of the girls told him and I saw Calvin’s eyes darken slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s weird is the fact that neither of you have left me alone this entire year so far. If you continue to treat my friends with such distain than I will do something about it personally. You can say what you will about me but you will leave Elise alone because she does not deserve it.” He argued and I looked at my friend with tears in my eyes seeing Peyton nodding his little head along with everything that he was saying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I take it back, pretty boy’s got some fire to him and I would not want to mess with him. Here I thought that he was just a wet blanket but this is surprising.” I rolled my eyes at my best friend lightly hugging him a little bit closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you saying that because you just want her to be your friend or because you </span>
  <em>
    <span>like </span>
  </em>
  <span>her? What’s she got that neither of us have?” I heard Colton mutter how about a brain in that head and Adrianna laughed slightly at her boyfriend. Calvin’s cheeks turned a bright pink and he sputtered slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not like that! I think that she’s pretty, I want to connect her little freckles and has gorgeous eyes but that’s about it really I swear.” He argued his cause and I flushed a bright pink while Bernie whooped from my shoulder as I curled a little bit farther into my hoodie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Her hair is bland and her eyes are boring.” The other girl mentioned and I heard Adrianna mutter sounds like somebody’s jelly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And anyways that’s not our point. Our point is that you deserve somebody better.” I sighed a little bit when I saw the girl push out her chest in the most cliche way possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I deserve something better… who are you to tell me what I deserve?! You don’t even know me, you only have the image in your head of who you want me to be. I’m not who you think I am. Neither of you know the real me.” Calvin lashed out at the popular girls and I blinked in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But we do know you! You’re always kind and sweet to everybody even the people that don’t deserve it like that awkward girl-“ That seemed to really get Calvin somehow even angrier than he already was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you ever think that it might be a fake kindness? Like I just wanted to have friends and be liked? That maybe that’s not how I really am? I am a nice person but I can also be super protective over those that I care about. More than I am with other people. I think that most people in this world deserve kindness but I’m usually too scared of what will happen if people don’t like me to show them my kindness. Elise is deserving of my time, attention and my friendship. I care about her. She’s nicer than the two of you combined and is an amazingly talented person.” Calvin ranted and I looked at the Latino boy in front of me, my eyes widened and my heart fluttering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is so whipped it’s not even funny.” Colton joked and Adrianna just lightly leaned against her boyfriend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like you’re one to talk, something tells me that he’ll be the next simp to join the group.” She mocked and I couldn’t help but blush a hot pink shaking myself. That was ridiculous, brain stop saying things that could never ever happen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that I have made myself perfectly clear to both of you. Leave Elise alone or I’ll have to talk with you both again. Do I make myself perfectly clear?” He told them his voice startling not the usual optimistic one but one that was more sinister and darker. It was laced with this protective edge and caused my cheeks to turn pink yet again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Colton? Adrianna? What are you both doing here? I thought that I told you to take Elise to the theater. Elise?!” The girl in question laughed at the situation at hand. Colton sat next to his girlfriend snuggling into her side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We wanted to see possessive Calvin first hand!” She told him and the boy in question sputtered a blush on his cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am not possessive- wait you saw that entire thing?” I played with my fingers a little bit and he sighed heavily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please bury me alive. I am too humiliated right now…” I laughed a little bit at him as he leaned against my shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry not going to happen golden boy. A lot of what you said I probably would have in your situation aside from all the gorgeous hair, freckles and eyes.” Colton joked and I saw the colors brighten on his cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please leave me to die Elise, they’re a bunch of jerks.” He jerked a thumb at Colton and Adrianna as they cackled with laughter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But if you died then I wouldn’t have a Seymour anymore?” I blinked in confusion and he sighed adjusting his glasses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, I’ll live but if I don’t talk to either of you for a month then you’ll know why. Sometimes I hate you both.” I couldn’t help but snicker at Adrianna’s over exaggerated pout and Colton held up his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I got this for you by the way, you told me that they were your favorite.” I felt my mouth start to water as he handed me the ice cream sandwich that I wanted to buy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t need to get anything for me…” Adrianna lightly bumped my shoulder with hers a small smirk on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s always been the mom friend just take the treat and accept it. You can’t win against him, believe me sugar I’ve tried. It’s the same battle that I used to try to fight when I was transitioning and I told him that ice cream messed with my hormones. He helped me get a better medicineIo that I could easily eat my favorite cold treat.” She reasoned with a wave of her hand and I smiled softly at the woman next to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I try some?” I nodded my head and broke off a piece for Calvin feeling a crackle of a spark between our hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, I think Green is starting to worry about us since I texted her to get the four of us out of class for the day. Sometimes it helps being her grunt worker.” Colton joked,  helping up his girlfriend who’s skirt frilled around her. I gaped at my friend and Calvin rubbed the back of his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She also emailed your parents and let them know what happened today as well. They offered to come and pick you up apparently but we wanted to comfort you and spend time with you.” He mentioned to me and I smiled softly at my friends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did I ever tell you what his favorite musical is?” Calvin pointed to Colton and I shook my head with a small curious smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He loves Big Fish, it’s his ultimate favorite. He was a chorus member of last year's production of it. It was my first show out of the chorus. I was the younger version of William Bloom.” He told me and I smiled softly at the idea of the show.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw that show! It was amazing, I loved it. My mom took me to go and see it. She’s the one that encouraged me that I could go and join the theater club. I love that story so much. It’s about being your own hero and how to work with that. I can totally see that being his favorite musical.” I smiled softly at the memory of seeing the show with my mom. I totally remembered seeing Colton in ensemble since he had a very memorable physique and attitude that translated into his dancing capabilities.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that he genuinely likes you. He teases a lot, it's just a part of who he is so if he ever messes with you it’s his sign of affection. Adrianna acts much the same way. I think that’s part of what drew me towards them. In all the years that I’ve known them they have never once had a fight. Mikayla says that they never have.” I blinked as this news settled in on me. Colton had told me that they had been dating since the sixth grade and that put together was nearly seven years. To go that long without one single fight seemed improbable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He says that he does it because he’s just so in love with her that he knows exactly the right words to say to her at all times. Even if he does mess up he instantly apologizes like he did earlier. My parents fight sometimes but a lot of the time they just solve their issues behind the scenes and are back to their normal selves.” Calvin compared his parents to the couple in front of us and I nodded my head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mine are a lot of the same way! Ever since I moved up into the attic I definitely hear less of their fights since their on the first floor of the house and I’m at the top floor.” This was the first time that I mentioned to Calvin that I was living in the attic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have pictures of your bedroom?” I nodded my head showing him the pictures of my room and he gapped at all of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is such a cute room!! All that space to yourself with all your instruments and things” I nodded my head with a small chuckle taking my phone back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My younger siblings still room together so they have an even bigger space for all the things that they are interested in.” He held the door open for me to the theater and I saw Green smile at me waving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I do something?” Colton asked me and I nodded my head going into the audience and I heard the familiar opening lyrics.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“What if I told you, you could change the world with just one thought? What if I told you, you could be a king? Anything you desire boy, anything on a plate all within your power to create. I know somewhere in the darkness there’s a story meant for me where I always know exactly what to say. I know somewhere some surprising ending waits for me to tell it my own way. Be the hero of your story if you can. Be the champion in the fight not just a man. Don’t depend on other people to put paper next to pen. Be the hero of your story boy and then you can rise to be the hero once again…” </span>
  </em>
  <span>I was always enthralled by Colton’s singing voice and Adrianna looked absolutely besotted by her boyfriend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Elise, do you know the Alabama Stomp?” He asked me and I nodded my head with a bright smile. I knew that this would burn like hell since I was wearing jean shorts today and all the thigh slapping would hurt but I would do anything to see his smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do but I'm probably going to regret my life decisions a little bit later. I’ve never done this in shorts.” I joked and I did the familiar dance move with my copartner in the stage. Just watching him being so free and open as Adrianna joined her boyfriend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I join too sugar? I remember this one!” She begged and he lightly smirked at her spinning her into his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you can baby, that’s the best thing about the dance. Anybody and everybody can join in.” I saw Calvin move to stand next to me and we all did the dance that was from the underrated production.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll always be my favorite show that I was in the chorus for. It changed my life. I think that the message of it is one of the most life altering things that happened to me.” The ex-chorus boy reasoned and I couldn’t help but be drawn into his general personality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I totally see that! Mary Poppins is my personal favorite, I love Sherman Brother’s and the music that they made together. It was simple, singable and meaningful for me. I know that I talk a lot about what Howard Ashman meant to me but the thing is he just didn’t live that long. I love his songs too but I also miss the way that Disney used to write music.” I reasoned continuing the stomping motion my thighs already regretting my life decisions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that they are my favorite too! I also really love Platform Polly. That got me out of some really bad things in middle school and it’s how I learned the term transgender.” Colton spun his girlfriend and I saw the love that he had for her in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She instantly called me and told me I think I’m transgender. I thought that it was one of the cutest things.” I looked over at the woman in question as she used her right foot to lead the dance that meant everything to her boyfriend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He tells this story all the time, somehow I’m still not sick of it.” Calvin joked and I couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that it’s sweet, it’s rare to see two people that love each other so much.” I looked at the two seniors that were so lost in their own little world with the other by their side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I agree. Sometimes they can be sickeningly sweet but in terms of male partners I think that he’s by far one of the best. You can just tell that he loves her more than anything in the world. I had never seen affection like that before I met him. My parents were always loving but it was always with this sort of closed off nature. I feel like a lot of parents are like with their children. The adults feel like they need to be in charge and that they can’t be overly affectionate with each other or that will make them seem weak somehow. I  think that if anybody is going to make an incredible set of parents it’s those two.” I looked at the other two dancers seeing that they were no longer doing the same dance that we were but just doing their own thing. It made me smile because I could see how grateful Adrianna was for him. I knew that they were the couple that would grow old and gray together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you might be right about that Calvin. I just hope that they’ll still be friends with me when that happens. I mean they are four years older than me…” I trailed off and my friend blinked a little bit in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think that they’ll just stop being friends with you just because they’re older and soon they’ll be off in college. That’s just not the kind of people that they are. Once Colton likes you he becomes like a leech you can’t get him off.” He joked and I saw the man in question glare at his younger protege.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that punk?!” Calvin laughed at his friend, the irritation obviously faked and Adrianna just hung off his arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s kinda right baby, you are a naturally clingy person. It’s cute!” She reminded her boyfriend and I could see the irritation that he was putting up a front for instantly vanish away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re cuter.” I laughed a little bit at them and Calvin playfully gagged at the two of them. I sat down on the stage looking out at the audience.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it alarming? Being on the stage that you’ll be performing on by the end of the semester?” Adrianna asked me sitting down next to me and I nodded my head. I looked down at my sneakers that I had been wearing today.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if something happens? What if I freak out like I did today? What if I just become one big failure?” Adrianna put her arm around my shoulders and I could see Peyton waddling over to sit on my lap for comfort reasons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember the first time I had a sensory overload during a game. The first time it happened I was terrified. I couldn’t breathe and everything was just way too loud for me to comprehend. Colton had to talk me down from it. If I wasn’t in love with him before that’s when I knew that he was the only man that I would ever truly love. I was so scared to get back out there. What if it happened again? What if I let everybody down? I think that if you spend too long thinking about the what ifs you’ll find yourself in a hole with no way out. What happened earlier was not your fault. I know that you think it was your fault but it really wasn’t. I’m proud of you for getting through it unscathed. I think that you will make an incredible Audrey. I believe in you more than anything! I know that you’ll find that character inside of you. It’ll take tome and you shouldn’t rush this sort of thing. But you will become the character. You just need to remember that you were chosen because Green clearly trusts you to be the best. She told me how impressed she was with your dancing capabilities. I don’t think it’s about failing. If you do mess up then it’s no big deal. It won’t ruin the whole show. She also does previews as well the week before where she’ll invite different schools to see the show before it actually goes live.” I smiled softly at my friend who was encouraging me that I could be the best.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone has bad days kid, you just had a really bad day. It happens to the best of us. I think that this is something that you can definitely do as long as you don’t give up. I believe in you.” Peyton reminded me and I kissed my best friend’s forehead softly. Calvin sat next to me putting his arm around my shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember being so nervous for my first show. I thought that for sure that I would screw up but I didn’t. In fact I thought that I was finally good at something. It’s hard for me to be confident at something other than theater.” Green came into the theater and smiled sadly at me rubbing the back of her neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your parents are at the front of the school sweetie. I told them that we had it handled but they were really worried and I didn’t want them to be more worried.” She told me and I grabbed my backpack tying my shoelaces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I might be gone tomorrow and take a mental health day…” Colton ruffled my hair lightly with a small smile on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Believe me if anybody deserves a mental health vacation then it’s you. Just text me and let me know if you need me to do anything for you okay?” I nodded my head as Adriana gave me one last farewell hug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll be alright sugar. I know that this has been a really bad day for you. I’m sure that it will get better for you once you get home.” Calvin hugged me and I smiled softly at my best friend for being there for me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Try and have a good rest of your day. I’ll text you three and let you know how I’m feeling.” Harold handed me my backpack and I put it over my shoulder. I went out to the entrance seeing my dad at the front of the school.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess!” He picked me up giving me a tight hug and I melted into the hug. I instantly felt a ton better due to my dad comforting me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi dad…” He kissed my forehead pulling back from the hug to look at me. He looked at me making sure that I wasn’t hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on sweetheart, let’s get you home.” He opened the car door for me and I sat down in the passenger side of the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know exactly what happened?” My dad pulled out of the school parking lot and I sighed a little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Girls gossiping about me in the back row. I shouldn’t have let them get to me.” He sighed a little bit pushing the hair out of my face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Elise I told you that this might happen. You mentioned to me that this new friend of yours is really popular right?” I nodded my head and Bernie hopped up onto my shoulder lightly nuzzling against my cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is. I don’t really know why he wants to be friends with me so badly. I can’t understand it but I guess I’m just happy to finally have a friend in general.” My dad sighed a little bit at me but I could see his smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that he just sees you for who you are sweetie. He sees you as the kindhearted and open person that we all see you as. You don’t need to say anything else.” He told me turning on music and we drove the rest of the way home in silence. I was grateful that my dad didn’t want to talk to me too much since I didn’t really want to talk about what I was going through. It was difficult for me to find the right words right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your mom made you a grilled cheese sandwich and her potato chips.” He told me as I smelled my favorite food and I hugged my mom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks mom.” She kissed my cheek and I knew that I had worried her. I took my sandwich and filled up a drink going up the stairs. I closed my door with a small smile on my face curling up and putting on Hey Arnold!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want me to braid your hair sunshine?” I nodded my head with a small smile on my face scooting forward so that he could do it easier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m proud of you today Elise. I think that you handled yourself really well.” He reminded me and I instantly melted into the touch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m actually not feeling that bad. Usually after my sensory overloads I feel awful. I slip into bad thoughts time and I just feel like I can handle this today.” Bernie took one of my potato chips and stuffed it into his chubby cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that having your friends around you definitely helped you out as well sweetheart. I know that you can do whatever you put your mind to.” He comforted me and I smiled softly at him as Peyton sat down next to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have some really good friends that obviously care a lot about you kid. I think that having them around does loads for you. I might have judged Calvin pre actually getting to know him and I’m sorry.” I heard Peyton’s apology and my heart melted at the soft penguin next to me. It made me so happy that he deep down cared about me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad that you’re learning to accept him Pey! I think he’s a really great friend.” I heard Harold snicker as he twirled my hair into the familiar intricate braid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just a friend?” I rolled my eyes at my oldest friend scoffing a little bit at the idea of me having a crush on my first friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes he is just a friend Harold. As if he would ever go for a girl like me.” Bernie laughed a little bit and I could see the sparkle of matchmaking in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you’re quite a catch there sweetheart! Have more self confidence in yourself, I mean he basically said that you were the cutest thing since cupcakes earlier.” I blushed a bright pink at the memory shaking my head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That could have been anything Bern. I’m telling you that he’s not interest and would rather go for any girl that isn’t me.” Harold pulled a little bit on my hair and I stiffened glaring lightly at the dragon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enough of that talk that doesn’t get you anywhere good. I think that you’re super cute!! I mean you’ve always been adorable but grown up you’re adorable. Especially when you get all blushy around your little friend.” I stuck my tongue out at my best friend and he just laughed a little bit at me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel like watching something else…” Peyton waddled forward going through my movies and showing me the one that he wanted to watch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beauty And The Beast?” He nodded his head and put it into the DVD player with help from Bernie which caused him to look down at his flippers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s your favorite.” He reminded me and I nodded my head with a disbelieving smile on my face as he snuggled into my side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just surprised that you remember how much I love this movie. I wanted to be Belle so badly when I was younger. Even though I look nothing like her. I probably look the most like Aurora despite the lack of purple eyes and take away the freckles.” I joked and Bernie sat next to my pillow. I gave my bunny another potato chip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s the most boring one though sunshine. I’d say that if you were like any of them it would be Rapunzel.” I laughed a little bit since I did love Raps. She was my other favorite than Belle and a more modern favorite.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s true, I’ve just always thought that she was a lot more pretty than me. I’m not that pretty…” Peyton jumped onto my stomach so that I would easier pay attention to him. I blinked a little bit in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You better start loving yourself kid or I’ll take your kneecaps.” I couldn’t help but laugh at my best friend picking him up and giving him a hug. I finished my sandwich and my chips as Harold finished up my hair. I heard my younger siblings come into the house and I picked up my sketchbook.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, this needs to be done. I’m giving this to Natalia. She'll prefer it over me anyways.” I went down the stairs and Harold flew above my head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re making the right decision sunshine. I think your sister will love it!!” He encouraged me and I went down the stairs seeing my younger sister eating an apple on the couch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Nat! I’ve got something for you!” I showed her my sketchbook that I was giving to her and she blinked a little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A sketchbook? Don’t you need that sort of thing more than me?” I shook my head with a small smile on my face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s yours sweetheart. Do with it whatever you want. I’m going to tell you a little secret.” I waved her closer to me and she came over to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The book is magic. Anything you draw into it comes to life.” She gasped at me instantly grabbing her pencil from her backpack and drawing her otter imaginary friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does he do again?” I asked her curiously and she smiled brightly at me sketching her otter with a little satchel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His name is Oliver! He’s a fashion designer.” I smiled softly at my baby sister as she finished drawing him and I saw sketchbook start to work it’s magic as Oliver came to life in front of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re real?!” My younger sister’s eyes positively lit up as her imaginary friend blinked a little bit nodding his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You brought me to life pumpkin, thank you.” I smiled softly at the sound of a voice that reminded me so much of Mr. Murano.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you sissy! I love this!” She thanked me and I hugged my sister back gratefully. She looked up at the ceiling and saw Harold there filing down his claws.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey it’s no problem! See, I made Harold real.” I showed her and my old dragon friend flew down to greet my younger sister.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you also have a crab assistant?” I asked Oliver and he nodded his head waving one of his paws up and down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes but you don’t need to make him real I’m fine just being without him.” I couldn’t help but laugh at my younger sister’s sputtering as she drew her crab. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I might come up with other characters as well but for right now I just want to do you two! His name is Carl!” I smiled softly at my baby sister as she drew the crab and I just left her to her own devices.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was a good thing that you did Elise.” I nodded my head with a small smile at Harold since I was glad that I was able to make my younger sister happy.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>*Checks the last update of this fic* Hi all! Here is episode five, I had a lot of hard times while writing this chapter. Hopefully, the sensory overload is accurate and I'm a little bit worried about that but it'll probably look better once animated.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Episode Six: Peyton Goes Missing?!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">I woke up early in the morning, long before my alarm clock went off just getting the vibe something was wrong. Peyton usually curled up in my arms when I went to sleep but my arm felt strangely empty. I opened my eyes wide looking around rapidly. </p><p class="p1">“Peyton?” I called out weakly, my voice scratchy due to the disuse. When I didn’t hear any sort of response I flickered on my light switch looking around my bedroom. </p><p class="p1">“Sunshine? It’s three in the morning. What’s going on?” Harold asked me taking off his sleeping mask and I looked around frantically underneath everything waiting to hear Peyton’s angry voice about being left underneath a hoodie or a pile of dirty clothes. </p><p class="p1">“I can’t find Peyton anywhere!” I said pulling at my hair and Harold blinked a little bit in confusion. </p><p class="p1">“He wasn’t sleeping with you?” I shook my head my green eyes welling up with tears at the idea of something utterly horrible happening to him. He was so small so anything could have happened to him. Yes, he was imaginary but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t slip and fall or something along those lines. </p><p class="p1">“No… I woke up and he wasn’t there. He’s always there. Maybe he got hungry in the middle of the night.” I tapped Bernie’s shoulder who was asleep on my pillowcase and somehow hadn’t been jostled awake when I was looking everywhere. </p><p class="p1">“Sweetheart? What’s happening? Why does it look like a tornado went through this room?” He asked me rubbing his eyes and fluffing his ears a little bit.</p><p class="p1">“I can’t find Peyton, did you help him to get out?” I struggled to keep my voice calm and level when I felt my anxiety creeping up on me. The bunny’s eyes widened and he hopped down the bed. </p><p class="p1">“Sweetheart your door is ajar, didn’t we close it last night?” I nodded my head remembering doing that because if I didn’t then my siblings would come up and make my room a mess. I crept down the stairs just to see if my grumpy penguin was getting a bowl of ice cream that I bought. I looked around the kitchen still not seeing him and Harold flew around the rooms looking around them. </p><p class="p1">“I don’t think that he’s here sweetheart. I mean maybe on the upside he just went for a little walk? Maybe he’ll come back?” Bernie tried to sound less worried than he actually was but I knew that inside he was panicking and I knew it. </p><p class="p1">“Yeah, maybe you’re right. Come on before we wake up the whole house…” I told him and he just hoped up to nuzzle against my cheek. </p><p class="p1">“We’ll find him or he’ll turn up somewhere Elise. He has to. Right now he’s probably locked in some room in the house whining about how he was forgotten for a little while until you find him and I give him a big ol’ hug.” I smiled softly at the optimistic rabbit as he even looked scared himself. </p><p class="p1">“Sunshine I’m not seeing him either. He’s probably just locked in a room someplace and we’ll look more thoroughly when we have more light. For right now though, you need at least three more hours of sleep.” Harold led me back up the stairs to my bedroom and Bernie crawled into my arms.</p><p class="p1">“I’m not a grumpy penguin but hopefully I shall suffice?” He asked me his ears a little bit droopy and his eyes big and pleading. </p><p class="p1">“Thanks, Bern I know that you’re just doing the best that you can. It means a lot to me.” I rubbed softly at his ears and Harold softly blew a small puff of air to calm me down. </p><p class="p1">“It’s going to be okay sunshine. Nothing bad happened to him. I know that he has to be around here someplace. Remember when you couldn’t find Mr. Fluffles when you were younger?” I nodded my head with a sad smile on my face. </p><p class="p1">“I left him at the hotel and my dad had to go back and get him for me. How do you remember that?” Mr. Fluffles had been my favorite stuffed bear that I still had sitting on the foot of my bed. Harold reached and grabbed him for me and I felt the familiar softness of the stuffed animal.</p><p class="p1">“You were drawing me in the car while you were crying thinking that you had lost him. I remember every time that you drew me.” He reminded me and I laughed a little bit at the memory. Like always drawing Harold always calmed me down. It was like his zen energy brought out my own and he was able to make me feel better. </p><p class="p1">“Alright sweetheart, lights out. I need to get at least a little bit more sleep or I’ll be as grumpy as Peyton is in the mornings.” Bernie settled against me and I lightly tucked him into bed with a small smile on my face. </p><p class="p1">“Night Bun see you in a few hours.” I softly turned against Bernie and snuggled him underneath the covers as well as my favorite stuffed bear. I felt the sunlight come streaming through the window and I excitedly looked around thinking that it had all been a bad dream when I felt something in my arms and sighed when it felt too soft and fluffy to be my usually cold to the touch penguin. </p><p class="p1">“He still hasn’t shown up. I stayed up to keep watch and make sure if he came back somebody would be here to check and make sure that he was alright.” Harold told me through a yawn and before I could protest that he didn’t need to he flashed me the familiar bright toothy smile. </p><p class="p1">“I thought that he would come back before I woke up if he had just gone for a walk. Where could he have gone? Was it me? Did I say something that could have offended him? Did I do something wrong? I always mess up of course it was my fault. I loved him so much but I did such a bad job of showing, always flicking him on the forehead when he would get too mean…” I muttered to myself rocking back and forth and Harold flew in front of me his claws thumbing away my tears gently. </p><p class="p1">“Listen to me: this was not your fault. Something else must have happened. You have done nothing wrong, Elise. Peyton loves you whether or not you show it in a “good way” or not.He has always loved you and looked after you. It’s clear that he cares about you in his own way even if that way is glaring at people within a five feet radius of you.” Harold reminded me and I felt tears come to my eyes. I just didn’t know how I was going to get through the day without Peyton. Who was going to make me laugh with snide comments towards the popular girls? </p><p class="p1">“I just feel bad because why else would he feel like he had to run away if not to get away from me? I thought that he was getting better and becoming more adjusted…” Harold hugged me and I hugged my dragon friend back. </p><p class="p1">“I’m sure that whatever happened to Peyton that he is fine. He might just be someplace else in the house that we haven’t bothered looking yet. It was really dark out when we looked this morning and we have a little bit before school starts.” My dragon reminded me and I smiled softly at him. Leave it to Harold to keep the calm and level head when it seemed that everybody else around me was panicking. </p><p class="p1">“I should probably wake up this little guy…” I lightly poked Bernie and he just turned over onto his side muttering more sleep, please. </p><p class="p1">“I think we should let him sleep today if he’s still tired. He didn’t get a whole lot of sleep last night, kept tossing and turning. I think I heard him mutter Peyton’s name in his sleep even last night.” My heart broke for Bernie as I kissed his forehead with a small smile on my face as his little nose pinched up. </p><p class="p1">“You can sleep in my pocket today if you want to Bernie. I’ll wear my Miguel skirt and you can hide in my pocket.” I reminded the bunny and he just grumbled a little bit as I put him into my pocket once I had my outfit for the day on. </p><p class="p1">“Just take it easy today sunshine. If you need anything from me at all then I’m right here. Let’s do one last look around for our grumpy friend okay?” I nodded my head with a small smile on my face that looked about as tired as I felt. </p><p class="p1">“I’ll be alright, I always am. Maybe Calvin will help me look for him today and he wound up at school somehow…” Harold nuzzled my cheek with his and I smiled softly at my best friend who had always been there for me. </p><p class="p1">“That could have happened! It’s the only other place that I can think of despite how far it is from here especially on his little legs.” Harold spoke a little bit louder into my bedroom expecting the protest of they aren’t little to come from somewhere in my bedroom. It didn’t come.</p><p class="p1">“I don’t think he’s in the bedroom sunshine otherwise he would have just said something.” I looked into my closet just to be sure picking up my room from the three in the morning tornado. I looked under every nook and cranny of my bedroom and there was still no sign of my best friend. </p><p class="p1">“Elise, sunshine, he’s not here. You need to get some breakfast, he wouldn’t want you skipping meals and it’s getting late.” Harold reminded me tapping his claw on his right hand as if it were a watch. </p><p class="p1">“I know I’m just so scared…” I curled up into a little ball and Harold put his arm around my shoulders comforting me. </p><p class="p1">“It’ll be okay. Wherever he is I’m sure that he is okay, he’s too stubborn to do anything that would result in anything too grave happening to him.” My dragon reminded me and I nodded my head going down the stairs and seeing that my siblings were already gone. It must have been a lot later than I thought it was because they usually left after me. I grabbed an apple cutting it into slices and putting one of them into my mouth. I also took one of the bagels that we bought last weekend and left the house.</p><p class="p1">“Toss a slice up here!!” I tossed an apple slice into Harold’s mouth with practiced ease as he caught it. </p><p class="p1">“You want an apple slice, Bernie?” I asked my pocket and he nodded his head. I gave it to him and heard the gentle crunching. I knew that his cheeks must have been bulging out and I smiled softly at the adorable image. </p><p class="p1">“Do you think you might need to talk to Colton and Adriana at some point today? They always cheer you up!!” Harold reminded me and my heart as I texted the woman in question seeing if she had cheer practice after school. </p><p class="p1">“I’ll see if they’re both free, I remember them saying something about wanting to put on a 70’s show today but I just wanted to make sure. We start officially rehearsing next week. Green is still working out the ensemble kinks and then she’s welcoming the rest of us to the show.” I really wanted to see what Colton and Adriana would perform today since it was rare that she would dance with her boyfriend in front of a big group. It made me wonder what the big occasion was. </p><p class="p1">“Do you think it could be their anniversary?!” Harold asked excitedly his eyes lighting up with little stars. </p><p class="p1">“It might be! That wouldn’t surprise me as much so I’ll have to ask her when she gets back to me.” I felt my phone buzz and I looked to see a selfie from her in 70’s disco attire. I could tell that she was happier than she usually was today. In her text, she mentioned that it was and Colton’s anniversary of the first time that he asked her out on a date. </p><p class="p1">“You were right Harold, it’s their eighth anniversary today! Good thinking, I can’t wait to see what they do now.” Harold flew above me with a bright smile on his face flying backward. I loved how carefree he always was like nothing mattered and he was always happy. </p><p class="p1">“I could tell that it was something major, they were looking extra lovey-dovey yesterday and I thought that it was more than usual.” I smiled softly wondering what that must feel like. To be in love with somebody for that long it warmed my heart. It made me think about what it would be like if somebody ever loved me like that. </p><p class="p1">“I think that it’s beautiful to love somebody that much. It’s something that I’ve always wanted but never felt like I was worthy of it.” I sighed a little bit blowing the fringe out of my hair and quieting myself loathing by putting another apple slice into my mouth. </p><p class="p1">“Elise sunshine, I know that you’re just saying that because you had a rough morning but you should be happy with somebody. I think that somebody might be Calvin but even still if it isn’t by chance then you should still be happy with the person of your dreams.” I felt my heart heave at the idea of possibly being somebody that important to Calvin. I shook my head because it just seemed to be something ridiculous. </p><p class="p1">“Sorry, Harold it’s been a bit of a rough morning for me. I’m fine you don’t need to worry about me.” I apologized and he just sent me this look with a quirked-up eyebrow as if to say that’s bull and I’m not buying it.</p><p class="p1">“I don’t think that’s a good excuse sunshine, you better work on that fake smile if you want to appease Calvin and not make him think that you’re having a bad day.” He reminded me and I looked down at my boots that I had worn today. </p><p class="p1">“I want to go home…” I said to myself and Harold just lifted my chin with his claw getting me to look up into his honey brown eyes. </p><p class="p1">“You took a mental health day last week sunshine, you can do this and you will do this. I know that you’re having a rough morning but you can’t let that get to you. If you do then you’re never going to get better. Besides you have things to look forward to today!! If you don’t go to school then you won’t get to see Colton and Adriana’s eight-year celebration. I know that you can go through those doors and have fun with your friends today. You should be happy for your friends even though you’re missing Peyton. There are other things to go to school for. I know that it will be difficult for you to focus today but just, please. Go for me.” He encouraged me and I nodded my head tentatively. </p><p class="p1">“I can do this. Thank you, Harold, for everything.” I thanked my friend and he just grinned at me flourishing his tail. </p><p class="p1">“It’s no problem sunshine anytime. Besides, it’ll be fun today. I’m looking forward to today.” I saw the school coming up in my field of vision just as I finished the last bite from my bagel. The food sat like a rock in my stomach and I was so nervous that I thought I might be sick. </p><p class="p1">“Elise <em>chamaca </em>good morning!!” I heard the familiar call of Calvin who was walking up to the school with Lana next to him. </p><p class="p1">“Hey, are you okay?” She asked me and I sighed nodding my head with a small smile on my face that felt more natural than earlier. </p><p class="p1">“Oh yeah, I’m fine just a little bit nervous for school today for no reason.” Calvin put his arm around Lana’s shoulders and looked at me mouthing we’ll talk later. </p><p class="p1">“Have you heard from Adriana or Colton at all today? It’s a big day for them!! They always put on a big show for the drama club every year with a different theme. Looks like they’re finally doing 80s disco this year. Adriana has a soft spot for the music and the clothing of that era. She loves the BeeGees especially and ABBA.” I smiled softly at Calvin for distracting me when I was stressing out about what this day had ahead of me. </p><p class="p1">“I heard from Adriana she sent me a picture of her costume for the day! I haven’t heard anything from Colton though, I’m sure that he’s busy.” Lana got out her phone and showed me a picture of Colton standing in his bathroom mirror with a thing of hair gel and a comb. I looked at him with his button-down shirt and skintight pants that just screamed Saturday Night Fever. </p><p class="p1">“Last year they did Grease and it was absolutely one of the cutest things that I’ve ever seen. I’m also expecting some other things spliced in there but it’ll be adorable. Their shows are always sickeningly sweet but it’s just their day to be happy.” I smiled softly at the idea that they made their anniversary such a big thing for the whole group every year. </p><p class="p1">“Oh I’m expecting them to do a parody but I also heard from Mikayla that they’re doing one of Adriana’s favorite love songs too. It’s her ringtone whenever Colton calls her it’s so cute.” Calvin noted and my heart warmed at the fact that I was going to get to see my two friends so happy today. It made me feel better even though I didn’t have Peyton with me right now it was hard to not be happy for my friends. </p><p class="p1">“Are you sure that you’re okay Elise? It looks like you’ve been crying. I know that we’re not super close yet and I’m sorry. That’s mostly my fault since I’m sorta socially awkward and not sure how to make conversation with new people.” Lana apologized to me and my heart warmed as I closed my eyes and thought about how scared Peyton had to be. </p><p class="p1">“I’m fine, I just had a late-night that’s all. Could have probably done with a little bit more sleep.” It wasn’t a whole lie since I did struggle to getting back to sleep after my early morning wake-up call. </p><p class="p1">“Lack of sleep will definitely screw with you, Elise. Let me know if you need to go for a walk at any point in time today and I’ll join you. It was fun on our walk last week.” Calvin’s blinding smile rooted itself deep into my memory. I could swear that my heart skipped a beat when he looked at me like that. My cheeks turned a bright pink color and I twirled my fingers around in a small circle.</p><p class="p1">“I get that, I struggle with insomnia, and most nights I stay up late talking with my boyfriend. You haven’t met him yet, I’ve been trying to kinda keep him from you because he can be… a bit much.” Calvin chuckled at his best friend shaking his head at her muttering something in Spanish probably a soft insult toward her boyfriend. </p><p class="p1">“Oh, it’s alright! I can meet him whenever you're ready for me too. I know that we aren’t super close yet but I’d like to be your friend.” I smiled kindly at the girl next to me who adjusted her glasses a little bit further onto her nose. </p><p class="p1">“You want to be my friend? Not just because you're interested in him?” She jerked a thumb at her best friend and I saw Calvin’s cheeks turn bright pink. </p><p class="p1">“Interested in me?! <em>Chamaca </em>maybe you need to get some sleep instead of her because you’re talking <em>loco. </em>Either that or you’ve been spending too much time around your boyfriend.” Lana stuck her tongue out lightly at her best friend. </p><p class="p1">“I said what I said. I do want to be your friend too Elise, you seem really cool and nice. I’m just slightly judgy of people and I should probably be more open to new opportunities and people. I’d probably be on the spectrum too if I went to yet another doctor. I have social, generalized anxiety, ADHD, and dyslexia. I think I’ve seen enough doctors in my lifetime to be done for good.” I smiled softly at my friend perfectly understanding what she was talking about. I had sworn off going to neurologists too and just taken what I had been given. Calvin rushed in front of me to hold open the door for Lana and me but suddenly a massive line showed up and he was left standing there waiting for everybody to come inside the school.</p><p class="p1">“That always happens to him especially when we go to the mall. He’s always been the gentlemen type but this is when it really makes me laugh.” Lana laughed at her best friend’s situation and he just glared at her halfheartedly. </p><p class="p1">“Hey, sugar!” I heard a familiar voice and looked up to see Adriana standing tall and proud in a pair of ridiculously high shoes. </p><p class="p1">“Am I going to have to look way up at you today? Your towering over me and I hate it.” Lana snarked from next to me and Adriana just laughed at her. </p><p class="p1">“Don’t worry honey I’ve got other shoes that I’m going to change into right now. These were a bit of an experiment and I hit my head on my mom’s car door. I’m fine though don’t worry! I’ve got this massive head of hair.” She sat down at the table and swapped out her shoes for much more manageable ones. </p><p class="p1">“I’m used to heels but not this kind, it’s the first time that I’ve ever worn them. Despite my love of 70’s culture, I’ve actually never dressed like this before. It’s surprisingly comfortable! Do you want a cupcake? I made them myself, I’m not hugely into sweets but they’re for the entire drama department. Odds are my handsome hunk will take a majority of them so I’d savor them while they last.” She winked at me and I saw Lana playfully gag at the overly romantic nickname for Colton as she took one of the tie-dye cupcakes. </p><p class="p1">“Please never call him that in front of me ever again.” I rolled my eyes at her lightly hitting her foot with mine. </p><p class="p1">“Be nice to her she’s happy. I figured that he was the one that loved candy in the relationship. He gave me a bag of gummy worms the first time that I met him when he saw that all I had in my lunch was a salad.” I took one of the cupcakes and lightly licked at the icing humming at the flavor. </p><p class="p1">“This isn’t buttercream, it’s cream cheese. It’s so good!” I encouraged her and she smiled softly at me. </p><p class="p1">“You’ve got a keen palette there, I prefer cream cheese frosting because it’s not too overly sweet. These ones down here are buttercream. The one that you have should have a strawberry inside of it as well. It’s yellow cake with strawberry.” She told me and I took a small bite from it savoring the flavor. </p><p class="p1">“You brought cupcakes? Can I have one? I just got stuck on door duty, thanks for the help there getting rid of all those people Lana.” Calvin sat down next to me his glasses askew and marginally stressed out. </p><p class="p1">“I did! There’s plenty here for right now so take what you want. They are for the entire drama department. I baked cookies too but I just dropped those off. I love baking and cooking it’s a hobby of mine. I want to open up my own restaurant one day. I’m not really smart in the book sense, not that I’m dumb or anything. I just don’t really care about the square root of I.” I laughed at the woman across from me as she adjusted the bandana around her head. It glittered when the light hit it just right and it caused me to smile. </p><p class="p1">“She cooks amazing food though, have you ever noticed that Colton’s lunches look far more extravagant than they should?” Calvin asked me and I nodded my head. Aside from the daily sugary snack and the sometimes salty side he had usually a perfect lunch. </p><p class="p1">“Most of the time she makes them that’s why they look better. He is useless in the kitchen.” Lana shrugged it off like it was as obvious as saying that the sky was blue. </p><p class="p1">“I love him more than life itself but she makes a good point. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come over to his house for a home date and smelt something burning and I have to shove him out of the general vicinity. If he didn’t have me he wouldn’t eat healthy at all.” Adriana smiled softly a sparkle of love and affection in her eyes. I heard a ringtone that caused her smile to widen and her eyes get all soft. </p><p class="p1">“Hey, baby!” I could hear the love and affection come off of her in waves and Calvin lightly tapped my lower arm. </p><p class="p1">“That’s Colton’s ringtone, it’s a song by the youngest of the Gibb brothers, they were The BeeGees.” He explained to me and I felt a small smile pull at my cheeks. I had thought the song sounded familiar. </p><p class="p1">“I had thought that her song for him would be More Than A Woman.” I joked and Lana laughed a little bit snagging another cupcake. </p><p class="p1">“That was her ringtone before she watched the BeeGees documentary. It had been that since they first started dating but she suddenly wanted to change it. I have a feeling that they are going to do their own version of the winning dance from Saturday Night Fever. She hates the movie but loves the soundtrack. I think we all have those movies. Mine would probably be cliche but I’m sick to death of Frozen.” I laughed at the sarcastic techie next to me as she licked at her frosting on her cupcake. </p><p class="p1">“Mine is another Disney movie but I love the soundtrack and the animation in Pocahontas. Everything else I could take or leave it but that’s just my personal opinion. What about you Calvin?” I asked him as he hummed turning so that he could throw his wrapper into a nearby trashcan and having it go on his first try. I saw him make this adorable air fist bump and Lana just laughed at her best friend. </p><p class="p1">“Soundtrack that’s better than the film itself that’s a good question…. I’d have to agree with Adriana and say that mine is Saturday Night Fever. That movie has no right to have such amazing dancing and music. It’s offensive to women and to Italians everywhere it’s one of those movies that Colton just loves to watch me and her debate about because we could just become two rageaholics about its disrespect towards women.”I watched as my friend talked about the movie that got him deep down the angriest and I felt my heart skip a beat as it heaved. I shook myself out of it relating it to just being tired. I gave Harold one of the cupcakes and he cheered a little bit doing some flips in the air. </p><p class="p1">“I remember when we watched it together so yeah I agree that it sucks but I’ve never been much for disco anyways. I mostly just laughed at the two of you and your bantering just tearing the movie apart.” I laughed at the virtual image I was getting of Colton with his arms around Adriana and Colton on the floor just ranting their heads off.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll be sure to just listen to the soundtrack, thanks for the heads up.” I heard Adriana talk in the background with her voice full of love and utter adoration. I heard the sound of a very familiar walk and saw Colton wrap his arms around his girlfriend. </p><p class="p1">“Happy anniversary baby…” I saw him hand her a box that was long and it looked to be jewelry of some kind. I thought that it would be for the best if I just left the happy couple to themselves. </p><p class="p1">“You don’t have to leave Elise, wait for me!!” I heard Calvin’s voice as he collected his backpack and rushed to catch up with me. </p><p class="p1">“I didn’t want to get in the way of the happy couple. I know that they are my friends but I’m just having a bad morning. Peyton, he’s gone… he left in the middle of the night and I don’t know where he went.” Calvin wrapped his arms around me in a hug and I stiffened for a second. I had never been given a hug by somebody who wasn’t a member of my family before. And even then it had never felt like this. Like there was something building inside of me that was warm, unfamiliar, and utterly terrifying but at the same time, it was everything that I never knew I needed. I hugged Calvin back taking everything in me not to just melt into the hug. </p><p class="p1">“Why do you think that he would have left?” I felt him gently pull back from the hug but still keep me inside of his orbit. </p><p class="p1">“I don’t know… the bad part of my brain is telling me that it was my fault because I didn’t love him enough. I was always flicking his forehead and getting angry with him for picking fights with Bernie.” Bernie rubbed his gentle wet nose against my hand that was inside of my pocket of my skirt and he peaked his little head out.</p><p class="p1">“If it was anybody’s fault for the fights sweetheart it was mine. I push him too far sometimes for love and affection. You were always so kind and patient with both of us even if sometimes we had to go into the backpack to cool off.” He climbed up my arm and Harold flew by my head his face covered in icing. </p><p class="p1">“I might have taken a few more cupcakes…” He admitted guiltily and I wiped softly at his snout getting the frosting off of my best friend. </p><p class="p1">“I never thought that you’d like the sweet things, for some reason you seemed like the spicy type.” Harold flexed his tail at Calvin’s thoughts as if he was trying to show off for my friend and the idea made me want to hide in a corner and act like I didn’t know him at all. </p><p class="p1">“I do like spicy food but only rarely. I like popcorn mostly, each of us has our own favorite foods. Mostly Bernie is the foodie of all of us he loves veggies.” My bunny settled himself against my shoulder leaning his ears a little bit to the side. </p><p class="p1">“Do his little cheeks bulge when he eats?” I nodded my head with a small laugh as Bernie turned inward embarrassed by his natural way of eating. </p><p class="p1">“I usually hate the sound of chewing but he’s just so adorable when he does it. I love him very much. I love all my friends, they’ve gotten me through so much. I was really lonely when I first made Peyton. It was last year when I was in middle school and it seemed like everyone around me had friends except for me. My friends have always been fictional before you. I made his personality so that it could make me laugh when I was sad and lonely. I would draw him and listen to Howard Ashman. It took me a really long time before I was confident about his design and only officially finished him over the summer. I wanted him to look cute and cuddly but at the same time give him the ability to have his face contort in anger.” I rambled about why I had made Peyton in the first place but Calvin just listened to me.</p><p class="p1">“I will help you look for him <em>chamaca. </em>I’m sure that he has to be around somewhere. He wasn’t in your room at all? Did you check everywhere?” I nodded my head hesitantly and he sighed slinking down the wall and onto the floor. </p><p class="p1">“Why would he just leave like that and not tell you? It’s not like him to leave without giving you any reason at all. Even if he acts prickly around everybody else he’s never been like that with you.” Calvin went through his lunch bag and found another bag full of carrots for Bernie that he gave to the bunny who happily took them. </p><p class="p1">“That’s what the three of us are trying to figure out my dude. It just doesn’t make any lick of sense whatsoever. He is always attached to Elise’s side so why would he jump the ship just because of a little bit of teasing from Bernie? It doesn’t add up.” I sighed a little bit burying my head in my hands. I didn’t want to think about this. I hated feeling useless, sad, and helpless. It felt like this feeling was going to eat me alive and swallow me whole. </p><p class="p1">“We’ll find him, Elise. I promise, he’ll come back home with you today. I am making it my mission of today to get your grumpy penguin back to you <em>carnio </em>I know we will.” He reminded me squeezing my hand encouragingly. I felt this rush of warmth and affection bring me out of my head and I looked at the boy next to me. </p><p class="p1">“Do you really just want to waste your day helping me?” He shook his head at me adjusting his glasses on his nose.</p><p class="p1">“It’s not wasting my day, it is helping my friend. I want to help you. You won’t be happy and smiling until we find him and that doesn’t boat well with me. You could have texted me that he was gone.” I sighed a little bit my hair framing my face just wanting to go home. I had woken up feeling just awful and it seemed like the feeling was going to continue to persist all day. </p><p class="p1">“I didn’t want to bother you…” I said softly and Bernie just leaned against my side a little bit further polishing off his first carrot. </p><p class="p1">“Sweetheart it isn’t bothering your friends if you talk to them about the things that are bothering you. It’s totally normal and natural to lean on other people. It’s not being a burden or a weaker person because of it. If we were constantly trying to do things on our own then we’d crash and burn out. I know that asking for help is hard for you especially but if you want to be able to make it in this world then it’s a really important lesson to learn.” Bernie explained to me and I leaned my cheek against his soft fuzzy head. </p><p class="p1">“He’s right Elise, it’s something that I struggle with too so you aren’t alone. I will oftentimes try to bite off more than I can chew when I’m working at the <em>panaderia </em>by taking on too many orders and try to make myself out to be a superhero. It’s not the best method of getting things done because often I’ll get overworked. My siblings are trying to make it so that when I talk on more work than I should they help me out anyways.” Calvin reasoned putting his own experience into the situation.</p><p class="p1">“Sunshine this is not a new thing for you. You’ve struggled with asking for help for literally years and it’s getting a little bit out of hand. You can’t just shut down every time one little bad thing happens otherwise you’ll never move forward. I know that it’s harder for you to deal with things the way that people who are neurotypical would but you also need to learn that shutting down isn’t a proper way to solve your problems.” Harold reasoned and I sighed knowing that my friend was right. He made a good point as he usually made and I found myself believing him. </p><p class="p1">“Do you know when exactly he left?” I shook my head. Sometimes Peyton would need to get up in the middle of the night to get a glass of water but he always woke me up before hand by tapping his flippers on my cheeks since he couldn’t get the liquid on his own.</p><p class="p1">“I woke up at three in the morning and felt that he was gone. I have no clue how long he was gone before that.” I sighed a little bit just feeling all together useless. I hated not being able to do anything about my friend being gone. </p><p class="p1">“Hey, we’ll find him <em>chamaca </em>I know we will. We just need to have our heads on straight when we do this. It can’t be done when your panicking believe me I know. I can’t think of anything when my brain is running through the possibilities either it just doesn’t work that way. Nobody can work under those conditions.” Calvin reminded me bumping my shoulder with a small smile on his face.</p><p class="p1">“I just don’t know where he is… he could be lost and all alone with nobody to help him.” Bernie nuzzled me underneath my chin. </p><p class="p1">“I get that you're worried about him sweetheart, believe me, I am too. I promise that I’ll try and pick less of a fight with him once we get him back.” He promised me and I quirked up my eyebrow with a small smile.</p><p class="p1">“And I’m supposed to trust you how exactly?” He pouted letting down his ears and lightly wringing his hands together. </p><p class="p1">“You're just going to have to believe me, sweetheart. I only ever picked a fight with him because he was so stubborn.” I laughed a little bit at my rabbit rubbing between his ears with a small smile on my face. </p><p class="p1">“Okay, Bernie I’ll believe you when you say that you won’t pick a fight with him anymore. Do either of you have any ideas as to where he might be?” Harold hummed drumming his claws on his now bulging belly. </p><p class="p1">“Hm… if I were a grumpy penguin and I wanted for my owner to find me I would probably try her favorite place? The art room maybe?” He thought to myself and I felt tears come to my eyes at the idea of Peyton hiding someplace where he knew that I would look for him. </p><p class="p1">“Then that will be the first place that we look!! Come along <em>chamaca</em> let’s dry your crocodile tears and we’ll go looking for the grump ourselves. He has to be around this school someplace and it’s probably one of the places that you frequent the most.” Calvin encouraged me offering me a hand up that I eagerly took. I felt the familiar small pang of electricity go through my hand. I wondered if it had something to do with the carpet around the school. It seemed to be happening a lot more frequently. </p><p class="p1">“I actually have no idea where the art rooms are that’s not really my area. If you ever need to know where any of Green’s spare rooms are for drama I’m your guy but not for this.” I laughed at my friend leading the way. </p><p class="p1">“I memorized where all the art rooms were during our school’s tour here last year when all the eighth-grade classes came here so that we would know about the high school lifestyle.” Calvin’s sea-green eyes looked at me with this warmth and reverence to them. I found myself actually able to look into his eyes and not feel this burning anxiety bubbling underneath the surface. </p><p class="p1">“I figured that you have a really good memory <em>chamaca </em>you just seem the type of person who has their mind constantly buzzing around.” I stimmed my fingers together in a small soothing motion wishing that I had something to ground my arms down. Like Peyton. I sighed again feeling tears come to my eyes. </p><p class="p1">“Are you okay Elise? You really miss him that much?” I nodded my head faintly choking back a sob. </p><p class="p1">“What-What if he’s gone for good? What if I never get to hear his voice again? What if I messed up and-and it’s all my fault?” Calvin wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug engulfing me both with his height and with that warm scent of pineapple, beach salt, and passion fruit.</p><p class="p1">“It’ll be okay <em>carnio. </em>I know that it might not seem like it right now but it will be. Even if he got too far from you and something happened to him you could just redraw him right?” I shook my head against his chest. </p><p class="p1">“It wouldn’t be the same as the original. It would be him but it wouldn’t be <em>him. </em>If that sounds crazy I’m sorry but I don’t really know how to explain it in a way that doesn’t sound completely mental.” He laughed a little bit at me leaning his forehead against mine for a fraction of a second before pulling back with a hot pink blush on his cheeks. </p><p class="p1">“So-So where is this art room of yours?” He swiftly changed the topic and I could see the almost conniving look in Bernie’s eyes. </p><p class="p1">“There are multiple different types of art rooms actually, the one that I have is a drawing class! But there’s also painting, sculpting, animation that’s my next one that I really, really want to do, stop motion that one seems really hard and there’s also-Calvin?” I caught myself mid ramble when I noticed that the other boy wasn’t walking next to me but instead staring at me.</p><p class="p1">“I’ve never heard you talk so much in one sentence without stopping before. It was cute. You should do it more often.” I felt my cheeks turn nine shades of red as I looked down at my shoes a little bit more apprehensively. </p><p class="p1">“I try not to ramble so much. People don’t like others that talk so much without taking a breath. It got me picked on a lot when I was younger because people would taunt me and try to say as much as they could without breathing like it was a bad thing. It caused me to be more cautious of the words that I brought out of my mouth.” Calvin blinked rapidly back at me as if not able to comprehend the fact that people made fun of me for such a ridiculous thing as my rapid talk.</p><p class="p1">“That’s just plain <em>estuipido </em>Elise that’s not right. You know, people picked on Lana too? They picked on her for the way that she talks. It wasn’t her fault that she talks the way that she does. Kids are little jerks when they see people that are different from them.” Calvin ranted his eyes ablaze with righteous fury at my defense. </p><p class="p1">“My siblings aren’t like that, I tried to raise them better than that. It’s not easy sometimes. My brother gets in trouble a lot because he has a bit of a small temperament that his classmates love to push boundaries for. It’s not that he’s a bad kid or anything it’s just that he needs to learn that not everything needs to be solved by getting angry. I think that it’s a hard thing for everyone to learn especially at his age. He’s only six so he doesn’t know a whole lot about the world around him.” I reasoned and Calvin just nodded his head running a hand through his short brown hair adjusting his glasses on his nose. </p><p class="p1">“I need to get these <em>maldito gafas apretadas…” </em>He muttered and I couldn’t help but laugh at his misdirected rage towards his glasses.</p><p class="p1">“Sorry about that <em>chamaca. </em>I get how that is, I’m the older sibling too of four younger ones. Second parent syndrome is a real problem that I have to deal with because I have to constantly be on the lookout if I’m setting the best example. It’s a lot of pressure and a lot of the time I mess up.” I nodded my head since that was a lot of the same thing that I had to deal with when I sat with my younger siblings. They were so different from me and sometimes it hit me that I was having an effect on these young humans. I wondered if I was doing it the right way and a lot of the time I messed up. </p><p class="p1">“I’m glad that I’m not alone in that feeling. I always felt like I was because not a whole lot of people talk about it. Every time my brother gets sent to the principal's office I wonder if it’s because of something that I taught him. I raised him to be extremely accepting of people that are different and his best friend has down syndrome so he often has to stand up for her.” Calvin let out a small aw sound as I filtered through my phone to find a picture of them both. I found one of them in my recent camera roll and showed it to him.</p><p class="p1"><em>“Ela están muy Bonita!! </em>Your brother has your big eyes and freckles. He looks just like you.” I shrugged my shoulders with a small laugh. </p><p class="p1">“He looks like me but acts a lot like my dad I think. My dad is the kind of raging protective parent. I think that he channeled a lot of his early rage into protective instincts. The second one of us is doing something dangerous he’s the first to shut it down.” Calvin just laughed at the idea of my family dynamic. </p><p class="p1">“Is your mom the type that just is constantly trying to do the nurturing then? Mine is kind of backwards. My dad is the nurturing type and my mom is the protective type. When I first told her that I wanted to do theater she was worried that I would get hurt. It’s kind of exhausting but I love <em>mi mama.</em> But she can be a lot when you first meet her just giving you the fair warning.” He held his hands up and I could see the small smile on his face that told me he was an utter mama’s boy even if she got under his skin with her protective nature. A lot like my dad did with me. </p><p class="p1">“I can tell you love her a lot. Both of my parents are good-natured people, it’s just sometimes I think they’re conflicted on how to raise me. I’m not outgoing like they both are and would rather be alone than being around other people who aren’t you or the drama club. This is the first time that I’ve ever felt truly a part of something. Usually, I was the last one picked for everything.” Calvin smiled brightly at me. </p><p class="p1">“Well from now on then you’ll be my first choice for everything!! Every group project or teamwork time I’ll work with you. We have every class together so it’ll be like having a constant buddy.” I looked at my friend with a disbelieving expression waiting for the rug to be pulled out from underneath my feet. </p><p class="p1">“I always had to do group projects alone…” I trailed off my hair getting into my face again and hiding the embarrassment there. </p><p class="p1">“Well, then that won’t be a problem for you anymore!! Now you’ve got me and I don’t give up easily <em>chamaca. </em>I want to be your friend.” He promised me and I saw the determination in his eyes that told me that he wasn’t letting this go down without a fight. </p><p class="p1">“What’s your favorite Disney movie, Calvin?” I asked him and he looked at me aghast. I could tell that he was cursing himself for not telling me sooner. </p><p class="p1">“I really, really love Lilo and Stitch!! That’s my favorite Disney movie, it’s probably super pedestrian and vanilla but the idea of found family has always struck a chord with me. I have my home family and then I have my theater family that Colton runs. He made me feel like I could be a part of something. I would follow him anywhere, he just has that energy to him. I look up to him a whole lot.” He told me about his favorite Disney movie and I felt my heart squeeze at the idea. </p><p class="p1">“That’s my younger sister’s favorite! Her side of the bedroom is basically themed to it. My parents have been talking about getting her and my brother separate bedrooms at long last. I know that she can’t wait for that since she has to share with her twin.” I told my friend and he just listened to me talk about my younger sister. </p><p class="p1">“Are your twins fraternal?” I nodded my head finding a picture of my sister with her tongue sticking out and drawing. </p><p class="p1">“It’s hard to tell that they even look alike unless you count the freckles but we’re all related,” I told him and he shook his head. </p><p class="p1">“I call tell that you are. It’s more in the way that she’s carrying herself. Like she’s hyper-focused on what she’s doing, you're the same way when you get really into something Elise.” Calvin noted and I felt my cheeks color in a light pink color as I led him in the direction of the art classes. I opened the door to my drawing class seeing no sign of the small penguin. </p><p class="p1">“Peyton? Cutie are you here?” I could tell in Bernie’s voice that he was starting to get worried about his friend. He tried to mask it through this aura of trying to look out for me but I knew better than that. </p><p class="p1">“I’ll check the room!!” Harold told me giving me a thumbs up flying around the room with a worried look in his eyes. </p><p class="p1">“If they don’t find him here do you think that he would have wound up in the theater? If that’s the case then you won’t have him for the entire day. Do you think that you’ll be alright with that?” I nodded my head with a sad smile on my face. I knew that part of this was my fault even if Harold and Calvin had tried to tell me otherwise. If something had happened or somebody had said something… but who would have said something that would make him leave? It could have been Oliver and Carl. They were new and a lot younger than mine were due to my sister’s lack of development. They might have said something that made my friend angry enough or sad enough to leave without saying anything to me. I knew that if they did say something that it wasn’t their fault but still if somebody had to be blamed it was probably them. </p><p class="p1">“He’s not here sunshine. I checked everywhere that he could have fit into. I’m sorry. I’ll keep looking throughout the day but I can’t get into the theater until after school.” Harold told me lightly and he pushed the hair out of my eyes using his claws. </p><p class="p1">“It’s okay Har… thanks for checking. He probably is in the theater. There’s nowhere else he could possibly be. I wonder if Oliver and Carl probably said something to him? Do you think that they might have?” Calvin looked between the two of us adorably confused as to who the other names I just dropped were. </p><p class="p1">“Oliver and Carl are the new dudes in the house, they belong to her sister Nicola. They could have said something to him. They are rather young and immature. They might have insinuated that you loved him less because you made him last.” Harold mentioned and Bernie looked up at me his big brown eyes wide with concern. </p><p class="p1">“But we love Peyton, doesn’t he know that?” I sighed a little bit. That had to have been it. There could be no other reason why Peyton would feel the need to abandon his post like that. </p><p class="p1">“He should, but he’s stubborn and has low self-esteem obviously. I told him that I made him last because his design took me a while. He’s so different from you that’s why it took me so long to create him. You have my never-ending optimism and Harold you have my kindness that my parents always told me that I have. Peyton, he isn’t like me at all. He’s the person that I want to be. I want to tell people what I’m really thinking but I’m afraid of what they’ll think of me. That’s why I made him so that I could have an outlet. I could call somebody out on their bull through him.” I reasoned and sat down in one of the chairs at the front of the room. Calvin put his arm around my shoulders supportively. </p><p class="p1">“I noticed that. I thought that it was really cute how he was different from you two. It made sense to me because I so often don’t tell people what’s on my mind either. I recover it with a smile because I think that the more people that like me the less lonely I would feel. In doing that I found that having a select group of friends to call your clan was something that I loved. My friends are <em>loco </em>but <em>Dios Mio</em> I love them.” I chuckled a little bit at the idea of my friend finally having his group of people that loved him for who he was. </p><p class="p1">“I love having friends. I never thought that I would have them in my life but you and Colton meant so much to me.” He smiled softly at me squeezing my shoulder softly as I heard the bell ring above my head. </p><p class="p1">“Come on <em>chamaca, </em>it’s time to do the history thing. I’m actually looking forward to it today. Want me to change my seat so that I can sit closer to you?” I looked at my friend with a surprised look on my face. </p><p class="p1">“If you want to sit in front of me then I would really like that.” I left the choice up to him and he held the door open for me so that I could exit my art room. I turned back sighing a little bit at the idea that Peyton was still not found. </p><p class="p1">“We’ll find him, Elise. He has to be around here somewhere. I know that you're worried, I’m worried too. I’m going to give him the biggest hug and he is not talking me out of it.” Bernie bragged and I laughed at my best friend poking his cheek gently. </p><p class="p1">“Bernie is right <em>chamaca</em> we’ll find him. But first, we need to get through our morning classes and then we’ll look in the theater during lunchtime. I think that’s when the show is going to be.” I smiled softly. The idea that at least Adriana and Colton were going to have a good anniversary today. </p><p class="p1">“Do you think that they really are going to be together forever?” I asked Calvin and he smiled softly. </p><p class="p1">“If anybody is really going to make it post-high school it’s going to be those two. They’ve been dating since middle school and I think that they’re going to happy long after high school.” I pushed a lock of hair behind my ear with a small smile. </p><p class="p1">“Did Colton invite you to his birthday party in a few weeks?” I sighed a little bit nodding. I still wasn’t sure if I would go at all. I hadn’t met most of my other drama classmates yet and I was terrified of what they would think of me in a public setting. </p><p class="p1">“He did but I don’t know if I’m going to go or not yet. I haven’t met most of the other drama club members on a personal level and I guess part of me is scared that they won’t like me.” Calvin just smiled softly at me shaking his head his poofy hair going every which way. </p><p class="p1">“If he invited you it’s because he wanted for you to come. He invites only people of our intimate friend group since it’s a nighttime beach party and he can only invite x amount of people. He has the drama club give him a party on his physical birthday since it’s a school day but the party is just for our group of friends.” He explained to me and I smiled softly. Well if that was the case then I would probably wind up going. I had thought that everybody was going and that’s what had turned me off from it.</p><p class="p1">“Then I’ll go! It might be fun to spend more time with everybody. I haven’t spent a whole lot of time around Mikayla or Amy yet mostly because I’m shy and awkward around them.” I smiled softly at my friend that swore he was going to stick by my side. I had never thought that a person would actually want to be my friend with no conditions or requirements. </p><p class="p1">“They can be a lot when you first meet them but I could tell that they liked you, especially Amy because she’s a cartoonaholic a lot like you. I still have a lot of shows that I need to catch up on. She was aghast when I told her that I hadn’t watched Gravity Falls when I first met her.” I laughed a little bit at the idea of the younger freshman getting all bent out of shape over something like that. </p><p class="p1">“I can see that. I think that you only missed it though because you have to help out at your parent's bakery. If you didn’t have to do that and you were just allowed to be a regular kid you probably wouldn’t have missed an episode.” I reminded him and he just rubbed the back of his neck a little bit. </p><p class="p1">“Your probably right about that <em>chamaca. </em>I have been trying to work less lately. I was told recently by a rather insistent best female friend that I spend too much time working.” I laughed a little bit at Lana demanding her best friend spend less time working.</p><p class="p1">“I think that it would be good for you to take more time for yourself. It’s something that I struggle with a lot too worrying about when the right time is to put up my work and instead do something that is seen as more traditionally relaxing.” Harold nodded his head with a small smile on his face. </p><p class="p1">“Working yourself to death with little to zero downtime is never the right way to go about life. I think that both of you could kill for a break sometimes. I know it’s probably been engrained in both of your brains, especially yours Calvin. You were probably taught that doing nothing makes you lazy right?” He nodded his head faintly from the bottom of the stairs in front of me as I jumped off of the last step. </p><p class="p1">“Especially when I have been working for a really long time and I just take a second. My parents will usually act like it’s the end of the world or something. I love baking, I really do. But would I really want to do this for the rest of my life? Not being able to make time for my friends or family because I’m just always working? I don’t think that’s right. I want to make more time for the people who are important to me. Do you want to go to the mall with me this weekend Elise?” He asked me and I felt my cheeks flush a light pink color. I rarely ever went to the mall only with my own parents. I nodded my head with a small blush on my cheeks. </p><p class="p1">“I’d really like that…” I trailed off with a smile on my face. It amazed me how I could wake up in such a bad space but feel instantly better the second that Calvin entered the equation. Harold lightly nudged my shoulder with his tail and I couldn’t help but laugh at him. </p><p class="p1">“Is there something that you wish to tell the peanut gallery?” I asked him with a raised eyebrow and he just shook his head inconspicuously. I knew that look in his eyes though. It was the same that my parents gave each other whenever I talked about Calvin. He was shipping us. </p><p class="p1">“Nope, not a thing but if you don’t hurry the bell is going to ring and neither of you will be in history.” He reminded me lightly and my eyes widened at the idea before I started to speed walk ahead of my friend. I beat him to the front door of my history class and he looked slightly saddened that he couldn’t get the door for me. I saw Calvin take the seat in front of me as Stins’s eyes widened. </p><p class="p1">“Moving seats are we Calvin? That’s quite a good one, in front of one of my best students. She could easily recite enough history to move anybody out of a game of jeopardy.” I laughed a little bit at my favorite teacher. </p><p class="p1">“I wanted to sit by my friend Stins. I hope that’s alright.” Stinson just smiled at the boy in front of him. </p><p class="p1">“Of course! There’s no seating chart or anything like that I just wasn’t expecting that. I thought that you two were merely acquaintances and classmates. Is that why you’ve been ditching me at lunchtime Elise? I’m heartbroken.” I nodded my head with a small laugh at my favorite teacher getting out my notebook. </p><p class="p1">“I’ve been eating lunch with the drama club lately, just trying to get acquainted with everybody there because I’ll be working with them and I’ll be their Audrey,” I told him and my history teacher just smiled at the two of us. </p><p class="p1">“I think that it’s good that you’ve been working with the two of us. I’m just glad that you are finally making friends.” I smiled softly at my teacher as he moved to the front of the classroom and wheeled out his workbooks. </p><p class="p1">“Alright, kids it’s a workbook day! You can work with your partners in front of you.” I smiled softly at my best friend that was seated in front of me. </p><p class="p1">“Do you want to work with me or would your rather do it solo?” I nodded my head and positioned my chair next to his. I worked next to him for the entire class period. It was so much more fun than working alone. </p><p class="p1">“What’s the one place that you’ve always wanted to go?” Calvin asked me as I waited for the bell to ring. </p><p class="p1">“I’m actually going there for my Christmas break, my parents are originally from there, but it’s New York City,” I told him and his eyes widened comically his glasses hanging off of his nose with a surprised expression on his face. </p><p class="p1">“I’ve always wanted to go New York!! The top of my list though is that I want to go to visit my parent's hometown of Medina Mexico more than anything. I think that it’s really sweet that we both want to go to the places where our parents grew up.” Bernie snuggled into me and I hugged tightly to me. </p><p class="p1">“I also want to go and visit Boston. I’m getting away from my family for the day so that I can spend the day and visit Howard Ashman’s grave. It’s been my dream to visit him since last year. I’m sorry, that probably sounds really dumb…” I apologized and he shook his head with a small smile on his face. </p><p class="p1">“It’s okay to want to visit your hero for the day. He means so much to you that is obvious from the way that you talk about him and how you play his music. He didn’t get the opportunity to live for very long so I think that you are really amazing for loving him as much as you do.” My heart warmed at the idea of somebody supporting me. </p><p class="p1">“I want to visit him and sing Sheridan Square. I already know that I’m going to cry when I do but it’s something that has been on my bucket list since I first heard the song.” I told my friend as the bell rang and we went through the rest of our morning classes. It was surprisingly easy to focus on my classes. A lot easier than I was expecting it to be. Before I even knew what was happening, it was already lunchtime and I followed Calvin down to the theater. </p><p class="p1">“Hey, there are my two leads!! Everybody is already in the theater, we’ve got a showcase to watch, and then I ordered pizza for everyone.” My heart warmed at the thought of our drama teacher going all out to celebrate with one of her favorite members of her drama club. </p><p class="p1">“Come on Elise, I don’t want to miss a second of this!!” I walked through the theater with my best friend leading the way. When I walked into the theater I saw Peyton sitting in my regular spot with his eyes red-rimmed. When he saw me he tried to hop down but Bernie was already running for him in a full sprint with his back legs moving lightning fast behind him. He threw his arms around the grumpy penguin and I quickly found my seat. </p><p class="p1">“Peyton… I was so worried about you.” I grabbed him and squeezed him super tightly to me and I watched as the tension bled from his shoulders. </p><p class="p1">“I’m so, so sorry kid. Those two newbies said that you didn’t love me…” I muttered a soft shushing sound to calm him down.</p><p class="p1">“It’s okay baby, I’ll talk to them when we get home but for right now I am just so glad that you're safe. I love you Peyton, your my best friend in the entire world. I know that sometimes I act like a jerk to you and I thwack you when I get irritated with you and how your acting. I promise that I won’t do it anymore.” He clung to me and I smiled softly at the penguin kissing his forehead with a small smile on my face. </p><p class="p1">“Calvin helped me look all over for you today. I think that alone puts him out of the dog house don’t you?” I asked him and he nodded his head against my neck with a small smile on his beak. </p><p class="p1">“I love you kid. I missed you so, so much. I was lonely.” I laughed a little bit at my best friend as Bernie snuggled next to him. </p><p class="p1">“This one missed you too, I know that you tend to get annoyed with him but he cares about you. I want you two to try and get along a little bit better.” I lectured half-heartedly knowing that they were both going to get along a lot better now that he was back. </p><p class="p1">“I will kid, I promise I will. He’s annoying and he constantly clings to me but he’s not too awful.” I heard my Bernie mutter you know you love me from the side of him his arms still wrapped tightly around Peyton. I saw Adrianna come out of the side of the stage with a bright smile on her face. </p><p class="p1">“Thanks for coming out here y’all! I know that it’s not a lot to ask since you’re all our friends but this is time out of your valuable lunch. True, Green is making it worth your while by buying pizza but still thank you all the same. I was six years old when I met the love of my life. I knew that he would be the only man that I ever loved when we were nine and he gave me a red rose on Valentine's Day. Colton makes me a better person, a more confident person. He has been there for me throughout everything that has happened to me. He loved and supported me through my long and tiring transition, he held me when my daddy died three years ago. I couldn’t ask for a more amazing and supportive partner than the one that I got. I couldn’t have made it this far without his influence on my life.” Adrianna introduced and I could see how emotional this day made her. I knew that her best friend turned boyfriend was the most important part of her life. I saw Colton lovingly put his arm around her comforting her. </p><p class="p1">“When I was six years old I met the woman that changed everything about me. She showed me that I didn’t have to be the parent that raised me but that I could be my own kind of man. Adrianna has changed my entire perception of how I live my life. I love her more than anything. I want to spend the rest of my life growing old with her, laughing with her, dancing with her, and making her the happiest woman alive. This anniversary is the celebration of another year of me being the happiest that I’ve ever been in my entire life.” I beamed when I saw the two of them interacting off of one another the love evident in their eyes.</p><p class="p1">“Every year we put on a showcase to demonstrate our love for one another because it’s just something that we just enjoy doing for fun. This year I wanted to something really special just for her and bring her favorite generation to life, the 80’s. From the music to the movies, this has been her favorite decade since we were really little. She is one of the few people that I know who can disco like the best of them and she taught me everything that I know about that genre of dance. So for my favorite dance partner, I will be bringing to life her favorite style of dancing.” He promised us and I looked at the two of them in awe as the music started. The way that they moved together was so fluid and beautiful. It was like to Colton, she was the only person that mattered. They were the relationship that I had always dreamed of happening and as their disco dancing filled the stage my eyes started to water at the sheer beauty of the love that the two of them had for one another. Blame it on the really long day, but I think that I would have been brought to tears either way. Having Peyton back did make things a lot easier. I knew that it was a step in the right direction for both of us to grow into being better people.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know that this chapter took a really long time to get out and I'm sorry about that. I've had a lot of life changes going on lately and I got my first vaccine shot. I get my second on the first of the month so I can't promise updates will be swift since I will hopefully be doing more than sitting at home in my room by my lonesome and instead be out with my best friend! Angst is not my strongest suit so I'm sorry about that as well if this chapter seems a bit more wrong than my other ones.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi everyone!! I am now on winter break from a long quarter of college and I have finally come up with my own idea for a cartoon that I will be posting here. I have a friend on tumblr crustydounts who is making all the designs for my characters!! She has been a really huge help to me throughout this whole thinking process. There have been a lot of people that have been really big helps creating and finalizing how these characters will look and act. I will eventually have a villain in season two with the help of 2oppositesidesof1coin on tumblr as well. Also a very special thanks to my friend saihahas (I've made a lot of friends on tumblr thanks to this idea.)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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